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THE BENEDICTION 

BY 

Rev. WILLIAM H. DOLBKER, A. M., B. D. 



WITH AN INTRODUCTION 

BY 

Prof. D. H. BAUSLIN, D. D. 

of Wittenberg Theological Seminary, 
and President of the General Synod, 1905-1907. 



PHII.ADEI.PHIA, PA. : 

LUTHERAN PUBLICATION SOCIETY. 



^"^i^" 



LIBRARY of CONQReSS 
TwoC^Dy Received 

NOV 12 1907 

Copyrlent Entry 
CUSS^ XXc. No. 

COPY a. 



Copyright, 1907, 

BY THE 

LUTHERAN PUBIvICATlON SOCIETY. 



Sngcription^ 



TO MY FRIEND, 

THE RKV. A. H. SP ANGLER, D. D., 

of Yeagertown, Pa., 

Through whose suggestion the writer 
was directed to the study of the sub- 
ject of which these pages treat, 

THIS WORK 
IS GRATEFUI^LY INSCRIBED. 



Het all tdinffs; tie bone tiecentlp anb in orber. 

— I Corhithiafis xiv. 40. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

Foreword vii 



Introduction xi 

CHAPTER I. 
Definition 15 

CHAPTER n. 
Patriarchal Bi^essings 18 

CHAPTER in. 
The Aaronic Benediction 24 

CHAPTER IV. 

The Significance given to the Act of Blessing by 
THE Lord's Words 39 

CHAPTER V. 
The Epistolary Salutations 54 

CHAPTER VI. 

The Pauline or Apostolic Benediction 64 

(v) 



VI CONTEXTS. 

CHAPTER VII. 

PAGE 

The Aaronic and Apostolic Benedictions Compared 71 



CHAPTER VIII. 

The Apostoeic Benediction and Epistolary Saluta- 
tions Compared 82 



CHAPTER IX. 

The Official Character of the Act under the Gos- 
pel 92 

CHAPTER X. 
Importance of the Act 99 



CHAPTER XL 

Manner of Pronouncing and Receiving the Bene- 
diction 106 



CHAPTER XII. 

Where and When Proper to make use of Bene- 
dictions iiS 



CHAPTER XIII. 
Mistakes Corrected 124 

CHAPTER XIV. 
Resume . - ■ 141 

CHAPTER XV. 
Conclusion 146 



FOREWORD. 

The writer did not suppose he would ever be- 
come an author and write a book — even a very 
little one. But a door has been opened before him 
into an unoccupied field, and an overruling Provi- 
dence has seemed to beckon to him to enter. Re- 
cently he was appointed to read before Conference 
a paper upon "The Benediction." The study 
which the preparation of that paper required re- 
vealed the following facts : 

First. The subject is important. The official 
act of pronouncing the benediction has in it a 
greater significance than is commonly supposed. 
Its importance is second to no other ministerial 
function. 

Second. Upon examination it proves to be an in- 
teresting subject. It is one which ought to enlist 
the attention of both clergy and laity when once is 
acquired a true conception of the real meaning and 
purpose of the act. 

Third. Information upon the subject is a press- 
(vii) 



Vlll FOREWORD. 

ing need of the day. The irregularities and im- 
proprieties so frequently seen in this part of the 
services of God's house are sufficient evidence of 
the want of proper information. The minister 
who officiates in holy things should understand 
fully what he is doing when he blesses the congre- 
gation in the name of the Lord, and the congrega- 
tion ought to have an intelligent understanding as 
to what is the significance of that blessing. 

Fourth. There is little literature upon the sub- 
ject, and what there is is not easily procured. It is 
confined to a few expositions, commentaries, brief 
articles in cyclopedias, and works on liturgies. It 
was a cause of surprise to find how little available 
material there is bearing upon the subject. This 
work seems to occupy a field all its own. 

These facts are an ample apology for attempting 
such a work as is here offered. It is only because 
there are such good reasons that it is written. In 
this day of many books it would be an offense 
against good taste to enter the field of authorship 
without urgent reasons for so doing. This small 
volume might have been greatly enlarged by his- 
torical data, and by references to the many curiosi- 
ties which have been evolved under the name of 



FOREWORD. IX 

benedictions, but this would add little of value to 
the discussion. A simple, plain, thoughtful pre- 
sentation of what the Scriptures teach on the sub- 
ject is attempted, and this can be done with some 
brevity. 

Reader, if you have given but little time to the 
study of the benedictions used in divine service, be 
grateful that the perusal of these few pages will 
not draw heavily upon the moments which have 
become so precious in this strenuous age. 

If you have given the subject but little thought, 
be lenient if you find this effort is altogether serious 
and thoughtful, requiring the study of some truths 
which may appear to be truths only after careful 
examination. 

If yon may have prejudices against anything 
which seems to tend towards stricter practices in 
worship, be charitable, and reserve judgment until 
the contents of this book are thoroughly examined 
and carefully weighed by the word of God, which 
is the rule in all faith and practice. 

To the ministry and laity of the Lutheran 
Church in particular, and to the body of Christians 



X FOREWORD. 

ill general, this work is offered, with the pra}-er 
that it may help all who read it to attain a fuller 
conception of " the exceeding riches of God's grace 
towards us." 

The Author. 



INTRODUCTION. 

Regard and esteem for the Christian character 
and attainments of a brother with whom he was 
associated years ago, when both were in the de- 
lightful days of student life, and both preparing for 
the work of the ministry, have prevailed with the 
writer in the request with which he has been hon- 
ored, to prepare this introduction. 

Because the real benedictions authorized in the 
Scriptures are few in number is no reason why par- 
ticipation in this function of Christian worship 
should be perverted from its real design or in- 
dulged in carelessly. Nowhere is it more fatally 
easy to fall into unwarranted license or unspiritual 
formalism. In no part of the services of the lyord's 
house are some pastors as much inclined to go be- 
yond what has been written and indulge in extem- 
poraneous, infelicitous, and undevout productions of 
their own, or in unauthorized additions to what 
is, in its unadorned and stately simplicity, always 
unimproved by human additions, 
(xi) 



Xll INTRODUCTION. 

The benedictions are rich in devout feeling. 
They are something more than the expression of 
an earnest Christian wish for the welfare of the 
people. Even the ancient peace greeting among 
the Hebrews — as, for example, in Ruth ii. 4 — when 
not observed as a mere polite ceremony, at last 
returned to something of its religious significance. 
Congregations assemble to hear the word of the 
Lord at the mouth of the accredited and qualified 
teacher of the Church, and to participate in what 
are designated, in liturgical language, as the sacri- 
ficial and sacramental acts of worship. The last 
word of that teacher, when the people disperse and 
depart, should certainly be a veritable w^ord of the 
Lord, unmodified and unembellished by any human 
addition. In the ancient Church, by divine com- 
mand, Aaron and his successors in the priestly 
ofiice were to bless the people with a particular 
form of sound words. In the early Christian 
churches it soon became the custom to dismiss the 
congregation with some form of blessing, such as 
*'The Lord be with you," or "Depart in peace." 
In our day the richer and much more significant 
apostolic benediction (2 Cor. xiii. 14) is used also 
in dismissing the people from the sanctuar}\ 



INTRODUCTION. Xlll 

It should always be remembere^i that in all 
soundly Protestant usage the benediction is in no 
sense sacerdotal. Neither is the congregational 
prayer. It is, however, it should be said, both 
prayer and assurance. In addition to this, and 
what is of more significance, in the benediction as 
in the sermon and the absolution, the word of God 
is imparted. It is something more than the utter- 
ance of a pious wish, for in it grace is offered, al- 
though, as in the absolution, it cannot be received 
unto salvation without faith. But, notwithstanding 
the dignity, scripturalness, and importance of this 
part of divine worship, there is no part of it that is 
more likely to degenerate into an unmeaning form 
of extemporized platitudes. Tone, manner of utter- 
ance, and attitude often show that the benediction 
is employed merely as the customary method of 
closing what the writer has often heard denom- 
inated the "exercises." 

In this volume the author presents the result of 
his studies in this important part of worship, and I 
feel assured that many will be surprised at the in- 
duction he has made into the facts pertaining to 
the subject, and the interest with which he has 
invested them. He has made an important contri- 



XIV INTRODUCTION. 

bution to the liturgical riches of the Church, and 
that, so far as the writer knows, in a new field of 
investigation. If his interesting and scholarly 
work herein presented shall serve to correct some 
abuses in this part of worship, he shall have ac- 
complished a much-needed work, in addition to 
showing the dignity, scripturalness, and suffi- 
ciency of the benediction which in its threefold 
form foreshadows the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. 

David H. Bauslin. 

Hamma Divinity School, 
Springfield, Ohio, 
Festival of the Reformation, 1907. 



THE BENEDICTION. 



CHAPTER I. 

DEFINITION. 

It seems proper to anticipate the discussion of 
^' The Benediction " by a definition. In order to 
do this, however, one is confronted with the diffi- 
culty that facts yet to be proven in the pages fol- 
lowing must be drawn upon to furnish the basis for 
defining the act. All the leading dictionaries have 
been examined, with the result that not one fur- 
nishes a definition which agrees with the wording 
and explanations of the Scriptures themselves. A 
number of encyclopedias and other works have 
been examined, and the encyclopedias, with one 
exception, furnish no satisfactory explanations of 
the subject. Some leading encyclopedias scarcely 
mention it, though they treat amply the less im- 
portant one of salutations. The one exception is 
the " Lutheran Cyclopedia," which, in the article 

(15) 



l6 THE BENEDICTION. 

on Worship, in the few references made to the bene- 
diction, speaks of it in its true sense. There may 
be other works of this character which view the 
act in its proper light, but if so, we unfortunately 
failed to find them. 

The main point on which the mistake is made 
by lexicographers is in that they define the bene- 
diction as an invocation or prayer. But it is not a 
prayer, either in form, meaning, or purpose. It is 
not that by which we are seeking some favor of 
God, but it is God's answer to that which has been 
sought of Him in the different parts of worship. 
It is not something offered by us to Him, but it is 
something offered by Him to us. Even this does 
not give the full import of the act, for w^hile it is 
the pronouncement of the fact that God imparts 
His blessing, at the same time the act is a means 
which the Lord has caused to be employed in the^ 
transmission and communication of that blessing. 
In the benediction, as pronounced by the priest or 
minister, God is conferring upon His true spiritual 
children the full measure of His blessing. He em- 
ploys his regularly-appointed agents only in the 
act, but He has made the act a desideratum to the 
end in view. It is just as when a king or ruler 



DEFINITION. 17 

sends by the hand of his officers, but over his own 
name, a declaration of amnesty and civil rights ; he 
is the author of the declaration, the giver of the 
good, but his agents must of necessity promulgate 
the fact. They pronounce, in his name and by his 
authority, that good which he offers ; and from and 
through the pronouncement it becomes effective- 
So God, through the official act of His ministers,, 
makes assurance of His blessings. 

A benediction, in the general sense, is the act of 
blessing. Any act of calling down the blessing of 
heaven upon a fellow-being would in this sense be 
called a benediction. But it will be readily seen 
by what has been said above that the official act of 
blessing is something quite different from this. 
The benediction may be specifically defined as " the 
official pronouncement of the L<ord's name and 
blessing upon those who have appeared before Him 
in worship.'' This definition implies that the act 
is a means by and through which that blessing is 
communicated and made effective. 

That such is the character of the benediction as 
used in divine service it is the purpose of this work 
to show from the word of God. 



CHAPTER II. 

PATRIARCHAL BLESSINGS. 

The practice of pronouncing a blessing in the 
name of the Lord is very ancient. There are some 
eight or ten instances of this kind recorded in the 
book of Genesis. A brief reference to some of 
these will aid in preparing us for an examination 
of the specific benediction which was prescribed for 
the use of the Aaronic priesthood. 

Whence arose this practice is not made clear. 
Whether the Lord had instituted such a religious 
rite, or whether it was copied from His example in 
declaring blessings upon His creatures, is not said. 
Certain it is that He pronounced His own blessing 
on a number of different occasions. Thus, for ex- 
ample, He blessed Adam and Eve. He blessed 
Noah and his sons when they had come forth from 
the ark. He also blessed Abraham. These bless- 
ings mainly dealt with the promise to multiply 
their descendants, and may have given rise to the 
practice among the patriarchs of pronouncing such 
(i8) 



PATRIARCHAL BLESSINGS. 1 9 

blessings. However, any attempt to account for 
that practice must rest upon conjecture. 

That the custom of declaring both blessings and 
cursings was common is indicated by several pas- 
sages, such, for instance, as the one in which the 
lyord says to Abraham, *' I will bless them that 
bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee." 
Prominent among the instances of such bless- 
ings is that where Abraham was blessed by Mel- 
chizedek, king of Salem and priest of God most 
high. This is specially significant as indicating 
that Melchizedek acted in an official capacity, by 
virtue of his priesthood. For this reason Abra- 
ham gave him tithes of all he had. The writer of 
Hebrews confirms this fact incidentally in his 
argument concerning the priesthood of Christ. 
The story of Isaac blessing Jacob is familiar to all. 
This blessing, obtained as it was by deception, was 
wisely repeated before Isaac sent Jacob away among 
his kinsmen. That such an act of blessing was 
regarded as conveying a good to the recipient and 
imparting to him peculiar privileges — in fact, as 
forming and controlling the destiny of one's life — 
seems to have been their belief. Thus we see Esau 
weeping and pleading, " Hast thou but one blessing, 



20 THE BENEDICTION. 

my father? bless me, me also, O my father." An- 
other prominent incident is that of Jacob blessing 
Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph. Joseph 
was not pleased that his father placed his right hand 
upon the head of the younger son. The reason for 
his displeasure is found in the fact that both Jacob 
and Joseph saw in the act not only a religious rite, 
but also an official and priestly one by which the 
blessing was conveyed. It was prophetic. Jacob, 
according to patriarchal customs, was the high priest 
and seer over the tribe. They both regarded the 
act as carrying with it God's blessing. Joseph 
wanted the chief blessing for the elder son. Jacob, 
with prophetic vision, saw he was voicing the pur- 
pose of God when he pronounced the greater bless- 
ing over the younger son. It is quite apparent that 
they regarded the act as conferring a very real 
blessing from the Lord. We cannot fail to notice 
that the history of Israel shows that Jacob was 
right, not only in this case, but in the prophecies 
which he made when blessing his own sons. Let 
us also consider for a moment that the position of 
Jacob's hands seems to have been an important fac- 
tor in conferring this blessing upon the sons of 
Joseph. It may be that the hands played a part in 



PATRIARCHAL BLESSINGS. 21 

all those acts which are called blessings. It is 
probable the hand was either laid upon the head, 
or held towards or over the head in token of the 
act of laying it on the head. Thus Aaron lifted 
up his hand towards the people when he blessed 
them. This reference to patriarchal blessings may 
seem foreign to our subject ; it will, however, be 
seen to have a bearing upon it. 

Our better understanding of the subject may be 
still further secured by introducing another fact 
which may at first seem irrelevant. When Ben- 
jamin was presented before Joseph in Egypt, Joseph 
said to him, "God be gracious unto thee, my son.'^ 
This is not spoken of as a blessing, yet in a sense 
it seems to be such. But there is something which 
appears to distinguish even these gracious words of 
Joseph from the blessings which have been consid- 
ered. In it there appears to have been no laying 
on or lifting up of the hand, as if imparting a bless- 
ing. This was one of the common salutations of 
the day. No doubt at that time in the eastern 
countries it was used, as it is at the present time, 
by any pious person as a greeting or salutation. 
Anyone might properly speak to another just as 
Joseph did to Benjamin. Such salutations are re- 



22 THE BENEDICTION. 

ferred to in numerous places in the Scriptures, and 
are not infrequently quoted. Thus in Ruth iii. lo, 
" Blessed be thou of the Lord." In Ps. cxxix. 8 it 
is said of failing to comply with this custom in a 
certain instance : " Neither do they which go by 
say, * The blessing of the Lord be upon you : we 
bless you in the name of the Lord.' " These salu- 
tations were often full of repetitions, and hence very 
long and tedious — entirely too lengthy for one on 
a mission of haste. Hence the prophet bade 
Gehazi to run to the house of the Shunammite, and 
to salute no one by the way, nor return the saluta- 
tion of anyone. Jesus commanded the seventy to 
salute no one by the way. Their business required 
haste, or was too important to waste time in this 
way. These salutations were made at parting as 
well as upon meeting. Our parting words, '' Good- 
bye," are but the corrupted form of an old saluta- 
tion, "God be with you." 

The difference between the salutation and the 
blessing is this : the former was an unofficial ex- 
pression of good-will and wish ; the latter was the 
official communication of God's good-will and bless- 
ing. The one assumed to impart no blessing ; the 
other, in act and word, assumed to not only pro- 



PATRIARCHAI. BI.ESSINGS. 23 

nounce a blessing in the name of the I^ord, but to 
religiously impart that blessing. Anyone could 
give a salutation, none but those who occupied 
position or carried the weight of years could assume 
to bless, for " the less is blessed of the better." 
We will do well to keep this difference between the 
salutation and the blessing in mind, for it is one of 
great importance in what follows. 



CHAPTER III. 

THE AARONIC BENEDICTION. 

When the children of Israel had escaped from 
Egyptian bondage, a regular government, theocratic 
in form, was established. They became a nation, and 
with the taking on of national life, patriarchal in- 
stitutions necessarily passed away. However, such 
changes are but slowly effected. We see among 
them relics of various patriarchal customs long 
afterward. Particularly was this the case at cer- 
tain periods of disorganization under the Judges, 
when " every man did that which was right in his 
own eyes." The most radical change which was 
effected upon the assumption of national life was 
in their forms of worship. A regular and elaborate 
system of worship was adopted, and a stated priest- 
hood was appointed to supersede the paternal form. 
Aaron and his sons were chosen for this priesthood, 
and were solemnly consecrated to the priestly 
office (Lev. viii.). 

Concerning this setting apart of Aaron and his 

(24) 



THE AARONIC BENEDICTION., 25 

sons it is said in i Chron. xxiii. 13 : " And Aaron 
was separated, that he should sanctify the most 
holy things, he and his sons forever, to burn in- 
cense before the Lord, to minister unto Him, and 
to bless in His name forever." This defines plainly 
the general duties which belonged specifically to 
the office to which the Lord had called them. 
They at once assumed their priestly duties. When 
Aaron first ofiiciated at the altar, after offering the 
prescribed sacrifices, but before he came down 
therefrom, " He lifted up his hand toward the peo- 
ple and blessed them " (lycv. ix. 22). There ap- 
pears to have been no previous arrangement for 
this act of blessing ; at least, no stated command 
that he should so bless seems to have been made 
prior to this, his first priestly ministration. It may 
be possible that he followed the patriarchal custom. 
It seems not improper to infer that he did so, and 
to regard the incident as throwing some light upon 
that custom. 

However that may be, the Lord soon gave him 
and his sons very explicit directions concerning the 
act of blessing. It was now, by plain and unmistak- 
able instructions, instituted as a solemn religious 
rite, and incorporated into the services of the tab- 



26 THE BENEDICTION. 

ernacle. This blessing is commonly called the 
Aaronic benediction. The words of institution 
make very clear both the form and the significance 
of the act. They are found in Numbers vi. 22-27. 
^' And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak 
unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying. On this wise 
ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto 
them, 

" The Lord bless thee, and keep thee ; 

" The Lord make His face shine upon thee, and 
be gracious unto thee ; 

" The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, 
and give thee peace. 

" And they shall put my name upon the children 
of Israel ; and I will bless them." 

The verse preceding and the one following the 
benediction are quoted because they give the most 
important information as to its purpose and charac- 
ter. There is about this benediction a simple 
majesty which calls forth our admiration. There 
is no finer passage anywhere, nor is there any which 
more fully expresses God's gracious purposes 
toward His chosen people, Israel. These are the 
Lord's own words to them. Though He has dele- 
gated to His priests their pronouncement, no hu- 



THE AARONIC BENEDICTION. 27 

man element enters into their composition. He 
has set His seal upon them as truly as upon the 
commandments which He traced with His own 
finger upon the tables of stone. 

The first thought to be considered, then, is the 
authority upon which this blessing rests. What 
may have given rise to the patriarchal blessings we 
are unable to determine. Their origin and much 
as to their character will ever remain in obscurity. 
But as to the origin and character of this Aaronic 
benediction there is no obscurity. Its divine origin 
and authority are unquestioned. Both with respect 
to it as a priestly or ministerial act Of blessing, and 
to its form when so used, it rests upon the com- 
mand of the I<ord. No gem in all the Scriptures 
has a firmer, stronger setting. The signet with 
which it is sealed in place is inscribed witli 
" Thus saith the Lord." The fact of its authority 
is so clear that the question does not permit of argu- 
ment. " The Lord spake unto Moses, . . . On this 
wise ye shall bless." Another question with refer- 
ence to its authority, however, may not seem so 
self-evident. It is the only benediction for the use 
of which there is a divine command. That is, 
there is no other passage of Scripture, either in the 



28 THE BENEDICTION. 

Old or New Testament, which the Lord has com- 
manded should be used by His priests or ministers 
for the purpose of blessing the people. This state- 
ment may not be readily accepted, but a careful 
examination of every passage of Scripture used at 
all as a benediction reveals its truth. As it in- 
volves arguments which properly belong under 
other heads, it would not be wise to introduce them 
here, but the statement of the fact is properly made 
at this time. While the Aaronic benediction rests 
upon the clearest command for its authority, it is 
the only blessing which bears that distinction. 

In the next place, a little examination makes it 
plain that it is not a prayer. Webster defines the 
benediction as " Specifically, the short prayer which 
closes public worship ; as to give the benediction." 
Webster is distinguished for the correctness and 
excellence of his definitions. He very seldom 
makes a mistake, but he certainly is mistaken in 
this instance. That such is the case need awaken 
no surprise, for a great many writers on religious 
and Biblical subjects make the same mistake. . Dr. 
Hitchcock, at one time president of Union Semi- 
nary, New York, in his " Analysis of the Bible," 
classes all benedictions and salutations under the 



THE AARONIC BENEDICTION. 29 

general head of prayers. Scott, the commentator, 
could not disabuse his mind of the idea that this 
benediction is a prayer. Many ministers so change 
the form of benedictions as to convert them into 
prayers. Now, we do not give a prayer ; we offer 
or make it. We do not offer or make the benedic- '■ 
tion, we give it. The priest or minister is not 
praying for the divine blessing, but he is declaring 
or announcing it. He is the Lord's agent, by 
whose mouth the commimication of the blessing is 
announced. Yes, the act signifies more than this 
even. The minister, in the act of blessing, is the 
official agent whom the Lord uses to convey His 
blessing to those for whom it is intended. It is 
not a man's blessing, but the Lord's, yet He makes 
those men who minister before Him the stewards 
of His benefits, and gives them authority to dispense 
and convey those good things. But this will ap- 
pear more fully later. It was introduced here to 
show how very different is this act from that of 
prayer. It is more than a prayer. It is not our 
approach to God, but His response to our approach 
to Him. It is not an address or petition from 
the congregation, through the priest, to God ; but 
it is a proclamation from God, through the priest, 



30 THE BENEDICTION. 

officially to the congregation. It is not in any 
sense our word to Him, but in every sense it is His 
word to us. 

Since it is not a prayer, what is it ? It is the 
Lord's response to worship. It is His assurance of 
answer to the prayers and supplications which His 
people have made, His acknowledgment of the 
offerings which they have brought. With this re- 
sponse and acknowledgment He bestows a blessing. 
The Lord is so solicitous that His people shall 
realize His blessing that He does not leave the 
transmission of it alone to an unseen spiritual com- 
munication of blessing, but with the underlying 
spiritual assurance there is given the spoken word, 
which is made a vehicle through and by which is 
conveyed these spiritual things. This spiritual 
good is the consummation of worship. It is the 
grand end towards which all worship tends. The 
benediction is the climax which the act of wor- 
ship anticipates. Hence the benediction presup- 
poses preceding acts of worship. Not so either the 
salutation or prayer. Some act of a sacred and 
religious character must precede the official decla- 
ration of blessing. There must be a coming before 
the Ivord ; the offering of some sacrifice upon His 



I'HK AARONIC BENEDICTION. 3 1 

altar ; the dedication of some gift to His service ; 
the prayers and supplications of those who have 
approached Him. Then God answers with the 
benediction by the mouth of His chosen ministers, 
and assures each believer of His blessing, grace, 
and peace. A benediction, then, is wholly out of 
place in a purely secular meeting. A prayer might 
be in place, for we have need always to pray ; but 
the primary conditions which the benediction pre- 
supposes are wanting in secular meetings. The 
benediction, therefore, is the I^ord's response with 
His gracious blessing to the believer and worshiper, 
and the act is designed to be a means in the 
communication of that blessing. 

It becomes necessary, then, to consider the mag- 
nitude of the blessing here contemplated. This 
can be ascertained only by an examination of the 
words of the benediction, and what the Lord Him- 
self has said in explanation of the act. 

It will be noticed that the benediction is com- 
posed of three parts, and each part has two mem- \/ 
bers. The number three is claimed to have been 
a Hebrew form of emphasis. Some explain or 
account for the form on this ground, that is, that it 
was so written to give emphasis and expression to 



32 THE BENEDICTION. 

the words. The threefold repetition of the name 
Jehovah, and the reiteration of His blessing from 
different points of view, give great emphasis to the 
passage. Then each of the three parts has two 
members, so that there is a parallelism running 
through the whole, imparting to the benediction a 
still more pronounced character. Some fanciful in- 
terpretations have been given to these facts by cer- 
tain writers which it is not necessary to consider 
here. There is no occasion to indulge in any 
forced interpretation of the passage in order to reach 
correct views of its meaning, nor is it advantageous 
to read into it any mysterious difficulties. It doubt- 
less is true that it has a hidden typical character to 
which reference will be made in due time, but it 
would be of no assistance here. On the other hand, 
though the threefold construction of the blessing 
does give emphasis to it, it will hardly do to say 
it was so formed for the sake of emphasis. Em- 
phasis must have a reason or cause back of it. It 
does no good to emphasize an unimportant thought. 
Emphasis, out of place, is like accenting the wrong 
notes in a piece of music. We introduce strongly- 
marked accent in some pieces ; it would spoil 
others. We emphasize " Old Hundred " by making 



THE AARONIC BENEDICTION. 33 

all the tones of one strong character, without 
accent on any. If we should sing or play many 
another grand piece of music in that way it would 
effectually destroy its beauty. The reason for this is 
found in the fact that there is a dignity, a greatness, 
a sublimity in " Old Hundred " and the Doxology 
we sing to it which demand that style of rendition, 
and no other style will be in harmony with the 
theme. The thoughts expressed by the benediction 
are three, each having its own peculiar character, 
and it takes the three to make the grand sum of 
God's blessing. Again, each part is divided into 
two members because one member does not and 
cannot be made to express the full meaning of the 
part. The threefold parts of this blessing make it 
emphatic only because the greatness of the theme 
and the threefold view of God's mercies demand a 
corresponding statement. The parallelism of mem- 
bers heightens the emphasis only because each 
member but partially expresses the full truth of the 
part ; it takes the two members in each case to give 
complete expression to the thought of that part. 
Otherwise the passage would lose in strength. 
The point we desire to make is that the emphasis 
is in no way artificial, nor given for effect, but is 
3 



34 THE BENEDICTION. 

entirely consistent with the thought expressed. 
So, to say that a threefold parallelism, such as is 
here found, is a Hebrew mode of emphasis, does 
not account for the fact that the passage has three 
parts, with the name Jehovah appearing in each. 
And the method of accounting for the six mem- 
bers, by saying we have three parts of two mem- 
bers each, making six in all, which, added to the 
name Jehovah, makes seven, and that three and 
seven are numbers regarded with special reverence 
by the Hebrews, is not a sufficient explanation of 
the matter. Doubtless, very beautiful and instruct- 
ive lessons may be drawn from such an interpreta- 
tion of the passage, but we are not drawing lessons, 
we are dealing with facts. Let us go a little deeper 
into the matter, and examine the thought of the 
passage. 

The first clause or part states the fact that God 
blesses and keeps His people. The former mem- 
ber of the clause sets forth the truth that the Lord 
plans their good, and He brings that good upon 
them in blessings and prosperity ; the latter mem- 
ber teaches that He watches over them and keeps 
them from enemies, from evil, curses, and pesti- 
lences. The one is seen in His plans concerning 



THE AARONIC BENEDICTION. 35 

them, and in the mighty deliverance He wrought 
for them when He brought them forth from Egypt ;. 
the other is seen in the pillar of cloud and fire 
which attended their march. It kept them in the 
way ; it kept them from their enemies. He sup- 
plies in the largest sense ; He protects in the most 
effectual way. In other words, God exercises 
paternal care towards His people. This clause, 
then, includes all that concerns His benevolent 
designs towards them. His purpose to bring about 
their good. His plans by which that end is to be 
secured, and the continual paternal care and pro- 
tection which He throws about them. This thought 
of God's paternal care appears repeatedly in the 
Old Testament. It is given fullest expression in 
His declaration of love in such passages as Jer. 
xxxi. 3 : " Yea, I have loved thee with an everlast- 
ing love : therefore with lovingkindness have I 
drawn thee." And in Isa. xlix. 15, where He com- 
pares His love for His people to that of mothers 
for their children : " Yea, they may forget, yet will 
not I forget thee." These and other passages show 
that this paternal attitude of God towards His 
people is not dependent upon their attitude towards 
Him. 



36 THE BENEDICTION. 

The meaning of the second part or clause is 
quite different. It expresses the fact that God re- 
veals Himself, and that this revelation is a purely 
gracious act on His part. The first member of the 
part says that He makes His face shine upon His 
people. With that revelation of Himself is given 
the knowledge of His truth, His will, and mercy. 
This is made clear by Ps. Ixvii. i, 2: ''God be 
merciful unto us, and bless us ; and cause His face 
to shine upon us ; that thy way may be known 
upon earth, thy saving health among all nations." 
The making His face shine upon us is His reveal- 
ing Himself. Thus He "spake to Moses face to 
face, as a man speaketh unto his friend " (Bx. xxxiii. 
11). And Moses, in his plea in Num. xiv. 14, said : 
" They have heard that Thou art among this peo- 
ple, that Thou art seen face to face, and that Thy 
cloud standeth over them, and that Thou goest be- 
fore them, by day time in a pillar of cloud, and in 
a pillar of fire by night." Thus " He made known 
His ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of 
Israel " (Ps. ciii. 7). By the second member of this 
part He makes known the fact that this revelation 
of Himself is independent of any claim on their 
part, but is wholly dependent upon His favorable 



THE AARONIC BENEDICTION. '^'] 

inclination toward them. It is an act of grace. 
His making Himself known unto them, His revela- 
tion of His name, glory, power, truth, and righteous- 
ness, all is because He is gracious ; and He purposes 
that He will cause this grace to continue toward 
them. Like the first part, this clause speaks of 
things which are independent of the attitude of His 
people. 

But the third part or clause of the benediction 
differs from the other two, in that it speaks of that 
which is not independent of the attitude of the 
Lord's people toward Him. The Lord lifts up His 
countenance upon them and gives peace. That is, 
the Lord removes His anger from His people, and 
comes into a delightsome friendly relationship with 
them, in which they find pleasure and peace to- 
wards Him. He comes down upon them, causes 
His truth to enter their hearts and reform their 
lives, so that He is delighted with them, and gives 
expression to His pleasure by lifting up His coun- 
tenance upon them. The result is their peace. 
This clause, then, refers to the converting and com- 
forting power of God through His truth. " The 
law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul ; 
the testimonies of the Lord are sure, making wise 



38 THE BENEDICTION. 

the simple ; the statutes of the Lord are right, re- 
joicing the heart ; the commandment of the Lord 
is pure, enlightening the eyes." 
, These three parts of which the benediction is 
formed cover the whole wide scope of God's bene- 
fits. Though we can hardly look at it free from 
the bias of our Trinitarian views, yet it seems to us 
the foregoing explanation would naturally follow 
without the later development of the doctrine of 
the Trinity. These three different fields of the 
operation of God's goodness towards man are re- 
ferred to over and over again in the Old Testament. 
The Aaronic benediction, then, gives expression in 
a very few words to the full scope of God's benevo- 
lent designs towards His people, and the means He 
has taken to secure the accomplishment of those 
designs. Such is the Aaronic benediction, and such 
are the blessings which the Lord intends shall be 
conveyed unto those whom He has chosen. 



- CHAPTER IV. 

THE SIGNIFICANCE GIVEN TO THE ACT OF 
BLESSING BY THE I^ORD'S WORDS. 

The preceding chapter, with the exception of 
the part which dealt with its divine origin and 
authority, considered the Aaronic benediction itself. 
In this chapter it is proposed to examine into the 
significance of the act of blessing which the Lord's 
own words of institution warrant us in attaching 
to it. He has certainly left no room for doubt as 
to the import of the act, nor as to His purposes in 
instituting the rite. While care should be taken 
not to claim for the act any unwarranted power or 
meaning, we must not fall short of an acceptance 
of the full significance which His words imply. 
Our zeal must not carry us too far, our faith must 
not stop short of the full measure which the Lord's 
promise assures us. Certainly no rite in either Old 
or New Testament is more clearly defined. We are 
surely justified in accepting fully all that the Lord 
so clearly promises in this connection, as we are in 
all other things. 

(39) 



40 THE BENEDICTION. 

In the first place, it appears that the use of this 
benediction was intended to be purely official. It 
was to be exclusively an official priestly prerogative. 
It was one of the special functions for the perform- 
ance of which Aaron and his sons had been sepa- 
rated from all other men. 

The statement in Deut. x. 8 may seem to imply 
that the I^evites, other than of the family of Aaron, 
had the privilege of blessing ; but a more careful 
examination of the passage shows that such was 
not the case. In Numbers viii., the duties of 
the Levites are fully described, and this was not 
one of them. It belonged to the Levites because it 
belonged to the family of Aaron, who were Levites. 
Thus the I^evites are spoken of as bearing the ark 
and other sacred vessels of the tabernacle during the 
marches of the children of Israel, while in truth the 
sons of Kohath alone were permitted to do this. 
(Num. iii. 31 and iv. 15-20.) In like manner the act 
of blessing is spoken of as belonging to the Levites, 
while only the priests who were Levites were per- 
mitted to perform this act. None could presume 
to act in their place in this capacity, or if anyone 
did assume such a role there must be some peculiar 
circumstances which conferred upon him special 



SIGNIFICANCE GIVEN THE ACT OF BLESSING. 4 1 

privileges. The assumption of priestly prerogatives 
proved a costly experiment to Korah and his fellow- 
conspirators. Yet Korah was a Ivcvite, but not a 
priest. His associates were Reubenites. This in- 
cident shows that the paternal customs did not yield 
to the new order without a determined struggle. 
The act of Korah was a contention for the priestly 
rights, which the heads of families enjoyed under 
the patriarchal order. 

That the privilege of blessing the people in this 
way was delegated to Aaron and his sons alone is 
mentioned in Deut. xxi. 5 and i Chron. xxiii. 13, 
already quoted. Yet there are several instances 
in which those who were not priests did perform 
this priestly function, and their act was seemingly 
approved on the part of the I^ord. The prophet 
Simeon blessed Mary and Joseph at the presentation 
of Jesus. Both David and Solomon went to the 
altar and offered sacrifices, and then blessed the 
people. Whether they used the Aaronic form or 
not we are unable to say, but this much is certain, 
they assumed priestly prerogatives both in the 
offering of sacrifices and in blessing the people 
from the altar. There were special reasons why 
they assumed these duties. It was a great event 



42 THE BENEDICTION. 

in the history of Israel when David brought the 
ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. It meant the 
re-establishment of the full Levitical service, which 
had been greatly neglected. So David, as the 
Ivord's anointed king and head over the nation, 
upon reorganizing the tabernacle worship, intro- 
duced the reform by offering sacrifices, and it is 
said, " He blessed the people in the name of the 
lyord" (2 Sam. vi. 18). That was still a greater 
day when Solomon dedicated the temple. He, too, 
offered sacrifices, and then " Turned his face about 
and blessed all th-e congregation of Israel (and all 
the congregation stood) " (i Kings viii. 14). The 
blessing mentioned in verse 14 must not be con- 
fused with the ascription to God which follows 
in verse 15. The former was a blessing of the 
people, the latter the blessing or ascription of 
praise to God. The words of blessing are not 
given. The writer of the record seems to take 
it for granted that in both the case of David 
and this, all would understand what that blessing 
was. Hence we assume they used the Aaronic 
blessing, or something very similar. The fact 
that Solomon, after the prayer, again blessed the 
people, and that in that instance the blessing 



SIGNIFICANCE GIVEN THE ACT OE BLESSING. 43 

is given, rather confirms our assumption. When 
he blessed in words of a different import the 
words are recorded. The grounds upon which 
they assumed to perform priestly functions may 
be several. First, they were kings under the the- 
ocratic government of God. They looked upon 
their office as a holy gift from the Lord, and in 
that official character they re-established the sacred 
rites of God's worship, and they did so with their 
own hands as God's ministers. They did not pro- 
pose to continue to do so. It was not a contention 
for the privilege, as was the act of Korah. God 
accepted their acts as official. But, again, they 
were the patriarchs of the nation by virtue of 
their high office, and it might be said that for a 
time Israel reverted to the patriarchal customs 
of earlier times, just as had been done in many 
things in the times of the Judges. But still 
another reason may be assigned. These kings, 
acting under divine direction and inspiration, may 
have assumed this priestly role as a type of that 
greater King, who should spring from the line 
of David, and who, though not of the Aaronic 
priesthood, should offer the all-important sacrifice 
and confer the most perfect of all blessings. These 



44 'I'HE BENEDICTION. 

are the exceptions, and they strengthen the rule, 
for they show how strict was that rule that none 
but the priests could perform ministrations at 
the altar and bless in the name of the Lord. 

In the next place, while the priest alone 
could properly administer this blessing, it was not 
optional with him whether he bless or not. The 
discharge of this service was a duty devolving upon 
him. When the conditions were such as to call for 
the blessing, the priest could not, because of any 
personal matters, withhold it. The Lord said, 
" Ye shall bless the children of Israel." It was 
the privilege enjoyed by the congregation of wor- 
shipers to be blessed ; it was their right ; they 
could claim it. God had just as truly set them 
apart to be blessed as He had set the priests apart 
to administer His blessing. The priest was the 
appointed agent in the act. His people were the 
appointed beneficiaries named in the deed. He 
could not refuse to transmit the described benefits 
imless some sin and impenitence were plainly mani- 
fest among them ; unless they, on their part, were 
not complying with the conditions. To withhold 
their rightful blessing would be a gross act of pre- 
sumption. Under any but the most extraordinary 



SIGNIFICANCE GIVEN THE ACT OF BLESSING. 45 

circumstances their presence and part in the wor- 
ship entitled them to receive what God had prom- 
ised. This part of worship could not properly be 
omitted when one authorized to perform it was 
present. " Ye shall bless." 

We also notice that the Lord prescribes the form 
to be used, and says, " On this wise ye shall bless." 
The words are dictated. The passage, like all 
upon which the Lord has set His seal, and in the 
composition of which the human element is en- 
tirely wanting, has a divine superiority. Its great 
excellence removes the necessity of substituting 
any other words. It has been said of the com- 
mandments that no word can be taken from them, 
nor anything added to them without marring their 
force and beauty. The same may be said of the 
benediction. It will be but injured by any change. 
We can only lessen it by taking something from 
it, we cannot add anything by enlarging it. It 
expresses all things which belong to God's bless- 
ing of man. It evidently was the purpose of God 
not to permit any priest, ministering at His altar, 
to change it, much less to substitute any fanciful 
benediction of his own preparation. He knew 
quite well the disposition of some, and that there 



46 THE BENEDICTION. 

would be those who would have the conceit to 
think they were able to prepare a form of blessing 
which was finer and better. To hold in restraint 
this inclination to remodel this benediction, the 
Ivord was very positive when He commanded, " On 
this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, say- 
ing unto them." So this benediction was to be 
neither enlarged, diminished, nor in any way modi- 
fied by the priests of Israel. 

The words, " On this wise," are not to be inter- 
preted as we interpret the words, " After this 
manner pray ye," which Christ speaks concern- 
ing the Lord's Prayer, because the other words, 
" Saying unto them," so qualify them as to 
give them this meaning and force, " In these 
words ye shall bless." If the blessing should be 
regarded by any on account of the words, " On this 
wise," to be simply a model form, then if it is 
made a model or pattern, any or all benedictions 
should follow the one and only model given us by 
the Ivord, and should give full expression to both 
His name and His blessing. Such a lesson is for 
us under the gospel, but the Aaronic benediction 
was in no sense a model or pattern for benedictions 
to be used in Jewish worship. It divided the 



SIGNIFICANCE GIVEN THE ACT OF BLESSING. 47 

honors with no other. These were the words 
which the Aaronic priests were to use when they 
blessed the people. 

The language with which the Lord instituted 
and authorized the benediction teaches us another 
important lesson. This specially claims our care- 
ful consideration, for it is probably the most im- 
portant thought of all. It is more largely instru- 
mental in revealing the character, purpose, and 
force of the benediction than anything thus far con- 
sidered. It is this : By the act of pronouncing the 
benediction the priest puts the name of the Lord 
upon the people, and with the conferring of that 
name the Lord declares that He will bless them. 
The strange thing about it is, the Lord does not 
say, " I will put my name upon them," but that the 
priests, Aaron and his sons, shall do this. "And 
they shall put my name upon them ; and I will 
bless them." The name here used, as already seen, 
is Jehovah. This is the name which the Lord re- 
vealed to Moses at the time He delivered the 
Israelites from Egyptian bondage. We are re- 
minded that the Lord at a later day wrought a far 
greater deliverance by the introduction of still 
another name. This name, Jehovah, embodies in 



48 THE BENEDICTION. 

its meaning the thought of essential being ; and 
coming as it does from the Hebrew verb which 
means to be^ is regarded as designating God as the 
One Eternal Being in whom is life, and from whom 
all life, which is in the world, has been given. By 
putting this name upon His people. He is impart- 
ing His being. His spiritual life to them. In other 
words, God is giving life to His people in naming 
them by His name. The priest or minister is em- 
ployed to perform this holy and very exalted act of 
naming the Lord's people by His name. This must 
not be understood as applying to religious life ex- 
ternally and superficially ; it means the life itself, 
not the nominal profession of religion. Where that 
name rests and abides there is life. This includes 
all blessing, comprises all good. God names His 
people for Himself and makes His abode with them 
and in them. For this purpose He sanctifies them 
as He sanctified the temple for His name. The 
nlinister pronounces that name upon them, puts it 
on them, and God blesses them by working in them 
through the Spirit and the word His gracious sal- 
vation and sanctification. To the end of producing 
such a gracious life in those who believe the bene- 
diction is a means. 



SIGNIFICANCE GIVEN THE ACT OF BI.ESSING. 49 

The benediction, then, carries with its pronounce- 
ment not only the assurance of blessing, but be- 
comes also a means or medium of blessing. It is, 
like other portions of the word of God, a means of 
grace, but it has this in addition, that it is the seal 
put upon all other ministrations of the means of 
grace. As already stated, it is the climax in wor- 
ship, not simply a part of it. It is the consumma- 
tion for which the people have attended upon holy^ 
ministrations, namely, the Lord's gracious blessing. 
The trend of all true worship is towards that su- 
preme moment when God puts His seal upon the 
worshiper as His servants put His name. His saving 
name, upon them. Concerning this act Calvin 
says : " Hence we gather that whatsoever the min- 
isters of the Church do by God's command is ratified 
by Him with a real and solid result ; since He de- 
clares nothing by His ministers which He will not 
Himself fulfill and perform by the efficacy of His 
Spirit. But we must observe that He does not so 
transfer the office of blessing to His priests as to 
resign His rights to them ; for after having en- 
trusted this ministry to them. He claims the ac- 
complishment of the thing for Himself alone." His 
view, as here stated, is identical with the interpre- 
4 



50 THE BENEDICTION. 

tation given above. The Lord's explanation of the 
benediction gives it a most important place in wor- 
ship, and assigns to the act of the one officiating a 
significance which, without such unquestioned au- 
thority, surely no man would claim belonged to it. 
But these words are unmistakable, and ascribe to 
the act a significance and power some may be slow 
to admit : " And they [the priests] shall put my 
name upon them [the worshiping people] ; and I 
will bless them." " Thus if the name of God is 
laid on Israel from above, so, too, Israel is there- 
with in this name raised high aloft." — Laiige. The 
following words of Jesus, in His prayer for His dis- 
ciples, because of these truths, gain in significance : 
" Holy Father, keep through Thine own name those 
whom Thou hast given me, that they may be one as 
we are one. While I was with them in the world, 
I kept them in Thy name" (John xvii. ii, 12). 
Even so, may God keep all, whom He has given 
unto Christ, through His name unto life eternal. 
May the Holy Name so come upon all believers in 
gracious benedictions spoken by the mouth of His 
ministers. 

Perhaps a comparison may make still clearer the 
nature and force of the act of blessing. Illustra- 



SIGNIFICANCE GIVEN THE ACT OF BLESSING. 5 1 

tions, while not proof, do assist us in understanding 
propositions. In the lyUtheran Church we have a 
service which ahnost exactly illustrates the case in 
hand. It is the " Confession and Absolution," 
which is the chief feature of the Preparatory service. 
After the pastor has given such instructions and ex- 
hortations as the occasion demands, the people then 
confess their sin, their penitence, and their faith, 
whereupon the pastor assures all who made this 
confession sincerely of the divine pardon of sin. He 
does so with authority, by virtue of his office as a 
minister of the word. He declares to them the fact 
that God's pardoning grace extends to each one. 
The minister does not forgive sins, but God does ; 
but the minister officially assures that He does. 
The Lutheran pastor does not say, " I absolve 
thee," but he does say, " Upon this humble confes- 
sion which you have made, as a minister of the 
Church of Christ, and by His aiithority, I declare 
unto you who do repent and believe in Him, the 
entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of 
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 
Ghost. " In pronouncing the benediction the pastor 
stands in precisely the same relation to the wor- 
shiper, and his act is the same in character and 



52 THE BENEDICTION. 

force. On this point Rev. E. T. Horn, D. D., says : 
" The benediction is not the mere utterance of a 
pious wish ; it offers grace, though, like the abso- 
lution, it cannot be received unto salvation without 
faith." We are sure Christ's words in Llatthew 
xvi. 19, and John xx. 23, give full authority for our 
views and practice as to absolution. The act of 
pronouncing the benediction has been much more 
clearly defined as to its form and purpose than that 
of absolution. But generally more thought has 
been given to the question of the minister's relation 
to the worshiper in the act of absolution than in 
that of the benediction. 

It will be seen, from the discussion so far, that 
the meaning and force of the benediction has been 
very generally overlooked ; and as a consequence 
this important ministerial duty has frequently been 
indifferently and carelessly performed. When the 
minister comes from the altar, he must not forget 
that he now bears a message from the Lord to the 
waiting congregation. It is not a prayer ; it is not 
man's word ; it is in no sense a subordinate act. It 
is the Lord's own explicit word, and man is the en- 
trusted messenger. It is the end sought in w^orship, 
namely, the Lord's salvation and blessing. For the 



SIGNIFICANCE GIVEN THE ACT OF BLESSING. 53 

purpose of conveying, by appointed means, this 
blessing to His children, has God chosen and set 
apart His priests. His ministers ; and in no part of 
the services of the sanctuary does this fact of their 
mission appear more evident than when with up- 
lifted hand they bless in the name of the Lord. 

The facts thus far presented establish the correct- 
ness of the definition given, and the benediction, 
specifically, is the official pronouncing of the Lord's 
name and blessing upon His children ; or is that 
declaration of blessing in which the minister acts 
as the ambassador of God. 



CHAPTER V. 

THE EPISTOLARY SALUTATIONS. 

Before we proceed to examine the " Apostolic 
Benediction," another subject claims our attention. 
This seems necessary that we may properly dis- 
tinguish between various sentences which are mis- 
takenly used as benedictions and those which may 
be properly so used. It may seem to some a mat- 
ter of little importance, but if the lessons taught 
by Numbers vi. 22-27 ^^^ duly considered, it is cer- 
tainly far from unimportant. Since there is at 
least one most comprehensive benediction, of un- 
questioned authority, and hedged about with the 
most gracious promises, it certainly is a loss to the 
spiritual uplift of the worshiper when other words, 
which express less and which were never intended 
as a benediction, are substituted. 

It seems to us evident that if another passage 
has not been as clearly authorized as a benediction, 
then it should not be used as such, unless it as 
fully declares the name and grace of God as does 

(54) 



THE EPISTOLARY SALUTATIONS. 55 

the Aaronic blessing. This, then, is the question 
to be decided, namely, is there anything which 
can properly be substituted for the Aaronic bene- 
diction ? If so, what is it, and why may it be so 
used ? One listening to the various so-called bene- 
dictions might be led to suppose there are many 
sentences, both in the Bible and out of it, which 
may be so used. Here is a matter which is to be 
investigated candidly, laying aside, if possible, any 
preconceived notions we may have had. It must be 
remembered that as a rule very little thought has 
been given to this whole question. The writer 
realizes that in what is to follow may be much that 
is at variance with views generally held, and it is 
to him a delicate position in which to be placed. 
But if he can only be the means, under God, of set- 
ting his brethren in the ministry to thinking upon 
this important subject he will be satisfied. He 
will trust to time to sustain his position, for he has 
confidence that it is Biblical. 

Bach epistle of Paul begins with the greeting 
or salutation, " Grace be unto you, and peace, from 
God our Father and the I^ord Jesus Christ." In 
three cases only does he vary from this form. This 
is sometimes used as a benediction, but not prop- 



56 THE BENEDICTION. 

erly so, as will appear later. Likewise eacli of his 
epistles closes with a salutation, but these are not 
uniform, as are those at the beginning of his let- 
ters. Some of the other writers close their epistles 
in like manner. 

In closing the second epistle to the Thessalo- 
nians Paul clearly points out the character of these 
sentences, which are now so frequently used as 
benedictions. He writes : " The salutation of Paul 
with mine own hand, which is the token in every 
epistle ; so I write. The grace of the Lord Jesus 
Christ be with you all. Amen." A number of 
PauPs epistles were written by the aid of an aman- 
uensis. But he puts the seal upon every one by 
writing with his own hand this or some similar 
salutation. 

Now, salutations were as familiar to Paul as our 
salutations, "How do you do?" "Farewell," or 
" Good-bye " are to us. He made his salutations 
purely Christian in character. Aside from that, 
most of them partook of the form of some of the 
common salutations of that day. Even at the pres- 
ent time, in Palestine and other eastern countries, 
the same forms are used. Paul elsewhere speaks 
of the blessing or benediction. Thus in i Cor. 



THE EPISTOI.ARY SAI.UTATIONS. 57 

xiv. 16, where he is reproving some for making- 
too free a use of the ability to speak in an unknown 
tongue, " Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, 
how shall he that occupieth the room of the un- 
learned say the amen at thy giving of thanks ? " He 
uses a different word here, and the one by which 
the Aaronic benediction is always designated. As 
this work is written in the hope that it may be of 
interest to intelligent laymen as well as to minis- 
ters, the writer has thought proper not to burden 
its pages with frequent references to the languages 
in which the Scriptures were originally written. 
But as this is such an important thought, and a 
pivotal point in the discussion, for this once a few 
such references may be pardoned. Even to the 
eye of one unfamiliar with those languages the differ- 
ence between the words will convey a meaning. The 
word which Paul uses in speaking of the salutation 
is acTTraa/jLcx; (aspasmos). This is derived from the 
verb aaira^ofiat (aspadzomai), which means io em- 
brace^ to greet^ to salute. This word is found in 
Mark xii. 38, Luke i. 29, x. 4, and other places 
where salutations or greetings are mentioned. 
It will be readily seen that the Latin word pax and 
our word peace bear a close relation to this Greek 



58 THE BENEDICTION. 

word. The corresponding Hebrew word is dpk^ 
(shalem or salem), and in its different forms is 
found in those passages where our English transla- 
tion uses the words salute or peace. Thus David 
saluted his brethren (i Sam. xvii. 22). This word 
Salem (peace) is seen in Scripture proper names, 
as Jerusalem. It is said that one traveling in the 
east to-day is addressed with this same word as a 
salutation. The root of our word salutation^ it will 
be noticed, is the same as that of this Hebrew 
word. On the other hand, the word for blessing 
in I Cor. xiv. 16 is evXo'yqari'^ (eulogasas), from 
evXoyeo) (eulogeo), from which we derive our word 
eulogy. It is used in different forms, as the case 
required, in Luke ii. 34, xxiv. 50, Mark x. 16, and 
other passages. It is the word used in the Septua- 
gint to express the meaning of the word " bless " in 
the Aaronic benediction. The word in the He- 
brew is "H!]? (barak). Primarily, it means to kneel^ 
then to bless. We are reminded by this that many 
blessings and favors are received kneeling, and 
thus the word, no doubt, came to mean to bless. 
Every knight who received that stroke of the sword 
by which he was given knighthood reminds us that 
the thought expressed by this word has had a prac- 



THE EPISTOLARY SALUTATIONS. 59 

tical application in the affairs of men in more 
modern times. Still the word does not necessarily 
indicate the attitude of the one being blessed. The 
people stood when Solomon blessed them. So we 
see that the blessing spoken of in the Aaronic 
benediction corresponds with that mentioned by 
Paul in I Cor. xiv. 16, and it quite plainly appears 
that Paul regarded the salutation as something dis- 
tinct from the blessing or benediction. 

Some writers class all these salutations under 
the head of benedictions. Dr. Hitchcock does so, 
and places all, as already said, under the general 
head of prayers. All but one of them lack one or 
more of the distinguishing characteristics of the 
Aaronic benediction, and inasmuch as Paul classes 
them with salutations, we will do well to leave 
them where he puts them, unless we have some 
paramount reason for doing otherwise. There 
must be found good and satisfactory reasons if we 
use any of them as a blessing of the people. 

Now someone will ask, " But are not these salu- 
tations really benedictions?" Certainly, just as 
are all salutations ; but only in the general, not in 
the specific sense. That is, they are benedictional 
salutations, not priestly or ministerial blessings^ 



6o THE BENEDICTION. 

They may be used unofficially ; not so the Aaronic 
benediction. Anyone might say to his friend, 
^' The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you," 
and say it properly ; but only the one who has 
been set apart to officiate in holy things can, with 
right, hold his hand over another's head and say, 
" The Lord bless thee and keep thee," etc. But why 
is this difference ? Because the Lord has made the 
latter His own declaration by the mouth of His 
ministers, and He has delegated to His ministers 
alone the right to so pronounce these words. Their 
use is official. They are to be spoken not only by 
authority, but with authority. So we must con- 
clude that there is a vast difference between a sim- 
ple salutation and an official blessing. 

Already, while Jesus was upon earth with His 
disciples, they had given their salutations a special 
significance, and were inclined to salute only their 
brethren. This He reproves by saying, " And if ye 
salute your brethren only, w^hat do ye more than 
others ? Do not even the publicans so ? " This 
plainly indicates that salutations are permissible 
under all circumstances. On the other hand, Jesus 
put His hands on little children and blessed them ; 
and when about to ascend. He " led His disciples 



THE EPISTOI.ARY SALUTATIONS. 6 1 

out as far as to Bethany, and He lifted up His 
hands and blessed them." All of these references 
confirm the distinction made between the salutation 
and the benediction. 

The epistles which do not close with a salutation 
are James, 2 Peter, i John, 2 John, and Jude. The 
last, however, closes with a grand ascription to 
God, neither salutation nor benediction. The salu- 
tation, "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be 
with you all," is used in Romans, Philippians, 
2 Thessalonians and Revelation. We find practi- 
cally the same in i Corinthians and i Thessalonians, 
only the word " all " being omitted. In Galatians, 
Kphesians, Philemon, and i Peter the name of 
Jesus Christ is used in the salutation. But in Col- 
ossians, i Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, and 3 John, 
the Divine name is not used, but only the ordinary 
forms of salutation in common use. The divine 
name is indispensable in the benediction, because 
the act of pronouncing it is the putting of that 
name upon God's people ; so those salutations which 
do not contain the name of Christ need not be con- 
sidered. 

The other salutations, as, for instance, "The 
grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all," as 



62 THE BENEDICTION. 

we have seen, are designated salutations by Paul, 
who was perfectly familiar with the Aaronic bene- 
diction and its use. Now, if Paul had regarded 
them as benedictions he would most certainly have 
called them blessings. We ought, then, to hesitate 
before using them as benedictions. It is true they 
contain grand words, and express large benevolence 
and good-will, but before we can properly substitute 
them for the Old Testament benediction there must 
be clear and undisputed evidence that we have the 
right to do so. They should, at least, contain the 
same full, clear expression of God's name, and they 
should give the same wide and comprehensive state- 
ment as to God's blessing, grace, and peace. If 
they do not do this, they fall below that benedic- 
tion, and in so far, are not qualified to supersede it. 
This is just what they do not do. Neither do the 
salutations with which Paul opens his epistles. 

While it is true that Jesus has been given a name 
above every name, and it is also true that His grace 
is all-important, yet He says, " The Father is greater 
than I." He taught us to pray to the Father, say- 
ing, " Hallowed be Thy name." In every way He 
exalts the Father's name. He commits all His 
disciples to that name, through which they are 



THE EPISTOLARY SALUTATIONS. 63 

kept unto eternal life. To omit the Father's name 
from a benediction in which His blessing is offi- 
cially declared finds no support in the Scriptures. 
It is the name of God, in all its fullness, with all 
His promised good, which is put upon His people. 
This is where the salutations fail to meet the pur- 
pose of the Aaronic benediction. 



CHAPTER VI. 

THE PAUI.INE OR APOSTOLIC BENEDICTION. 

There is, however, one of the salutations of 
Paul, if we may call it a salutation, which stands 
out clear and distinct from those which were con- 
sidered in the preceding chapter. This, in all re- 
spects, meets the requirements indicated by the 
standard which God Himself has established. It 
holds out to us the Father and His love, the Lord' 
Jesus Christ and His grace, and the Holy Ghost 
and His blessed communion. In it is the same 
completeness of the holy name and the same com- 
prehensive offer of God's manifold gifts. - 

This is known as the Pauline or Apostolic Bene- 
diction. It is sometimes called the " Trinal Apos- 
tolic Benediction," though it is hardly necessary to 
so designate it, for by the pattern revealed unto us 
in Num. vi. 24-26, all true official benedictions 
must, of necessity, be trinal in form. If God was 
particular about every part of the tabernacle, that 
all be made as prescribed, how careful ought we to 

(64) 



THE PAULINE OR APOSTOI.IC BENEDICTION. 65 

be, then, to "see that we make all things after the 
pattern which was showed " in revelation ! 

This apostolic benediction is found in 2, Cor. xiii. 
14, and is as follows : 

" The grace of the I^ord Jesus Christ, and the love 
of God, and the communion of the Holy. Ghost, be 
with you all." 

There is no Amen in the leading manuscripts, 
which fact will be considered in its proper place. 
Our present duty is to examine this passage with 
the view of ascertaining if it may be regarded and 
used as a benediction on an equality with the 
Aaronic. 

It has been used in this way by nearly the whole 
body of Christians. The best information at hand 
leads us to think it has been so used throughout the 
history of the Christian Church. There is great 
scarcity of historical data. Some works in which 
one expects to find information scarcely mention 
the subject at all. While a full history of the use 
of benedictions might be interesting and profitable, 
its bearing upon our present discussion would be 
quite remote. The rituals and liturgies of some of 
the denominations contain only the Aaronic and 
apostolic benedictions, though in practice there 
5 



66 THE BENEDICTION. 

is much carelessness in pronouncing the latter, 
and quite frequently something quite different is 
given. 

The apostolic benediction, notwithstanding these 
irregularities, occupies much the same place in 
Christian worship that the older one did in Jewish 
worship. While use alone would not establish its 
claim to that position, yet the fact of its general 
use cannot be ignored. One naturally asks. What 
distinguishes it from the salutations already con- 
sidered, and why is it given the preference over 
them ? Are there excellent reasons for using it, as 
a benediction ? Are we warranted in giving it a 
place beside and on an equality with the Aaronic 
benediction? These questions are worthy of care- 
ful discussion, and the importance of the matter 
makes a correct answer most desirable. 

On examination we shall find they have more in 
common than at first appears. As to their thought, 
there is a remarkable similarity. Only in one point 
is there a difficulty which becomes an obstacle to 
the ready acceptance of this passage as a benedic- 
tion, but even this, though serious, is not insur- 
mountable. It will be well to meet this difficulty 
at once, though in doing so it may be necessary to 



THE PAULINE OR APOSTOIvIC BENEDICTION. 67 

anticipate some facts which will more plainly appear 
when the two benedictions are compared. 

The point of difficulty which we meet in our 
acceptance of these words of Paul as a benediction, 
is that there is no direct command that it be used 
in this way. We have seen that the Aaronic 
benediction rests on unquestioned authority. It- 
has back of it the divine command. The Lord 
had said, " On this wise ye shall bless the children 
of Israel." But Paul seems to class 2 Cor. xiii. 
14, with his other salutations. It unquestionably 
was written as such. It was his token or seal of 
the genuineness of his second epistle to the Chris- 
tians at Corinth, written, as in the case of each 
epistle, by his own hand. We can give no other 
interpretation to 2 Thess. iii. 17. The fact that 
Second Corinthians was probably written several 
years, later than Second Thessalonians does not 
seem to alter the case. This does not call in 
question the inspiration of the passage, but simply 
notes that there is wanting any command author- 
izing its use as an official blessing. 

Rev. Edward T. Horn, D. D., says, "The 
Thanksgiving Collect probably was composed 
by Luther, and he prescribed the Old Testa- 



68 THE BENEDICTION. 

ment benediction as the only one commanded by 
God." 

Notwithstanding this seeming want of authority, 
the apostolic benediction appears to be a true 
blessing. The grounds for its use must rest upon 
its internal character. We must seek for authority 
in the passage itself. Though Paul may have 
written it as a salutation, it has all the character- 
istics of the Old Testament blessing. Here is the 
complete divine name as revealed in the New Tes- 
tament. Here are all the truths, as will be later 
shown, which are set forth by the Lord in ^pre- 
scribing the benediction for priestly use. Here 
are special features adapting it for a like use in 
Christian worship. The language, to all intents 
and purposes, expresses the meaning of the older 
benediction, the mode of expression fully comports 
with the revelation of grace. These reasons do 
not apply to the other salutations. Each one 
of them lacks not only a command, but also at 
least one, generally more than one, of the specific 
features which characterize the Aaronic blessing. 
The passage under consideration lacks only the 
presence of an authoritative command. 

Under the guidance of God the Church at large 



THE PAULINE OR APOSTOLIC BENEDICTION. 69 

lias been led to appropriate it for this purpose. 
The Aaronic benediction was the official declara- 
tion of God's gracious response to the worshiper 
who had appeared before Him. That worship was 
replete with types and symbols. These all find their 
fulfillment in Christ and His worship. In so far 
the law was a shadow of things to come. But now 
" The priesthood being changed, there is of neces- 
.sity a change also in the law," and we find many 
■consequent changes in forms and practices of wor- 
ship, and that without special commandment. The 
great criteria seemed to be found in the sacred 
fitness of the newer things. Thus, we worship 
•on the first day of the week, and without the sup- 
port of a commandment. The Christian Church 
has adopted the Lord's Day as its Sabbath and day 
of worship for ample reasons. It accepts the com- 
mandment to keep the Sabbath as applying to this 
our Sabbath. In the same way has the apostolic 
b)enediction ample grounds for its use. After all, 
the question rests with its fitness. If this trinal 
salutation will be found, by every test which we can 
apply, to meet the ends of the blessing given under 
the law, then we have sure grounds for its use. 
It will be found to bear the test with credit. It 



70 THE BENEDICTION. 

will be found also that the very examination, by 
which its fitness will be proven, will also show 
unquestionably the insufficiency of the other salu- 
tations. 

Before passing on, it may be proper to state 
that by these thoughts it is not intended to dis- 
parage the use of the Aaronic benediction. It is 
altogether suitable for use in Christian worship, 
and we think should be used more frequently than 
is generally the case. Luther says, " There is no 
book in the Bible in which both law and gospel 
are not found. God has always placed side by 
side both law and promise." The Aaronic bene- 
diction, judged by this, is purely gospel, for it 
not only bears the sweet incense of the most 
precious promises, but is the very declaration .of 
the actual grace of God and a means of that grace. 
The act is, in its whole character and spirit, plainly 
a dispensing of gospel truth, and is fully in accord 
with any and all Christian services. 

Our liturgiologists were wise in using only these 
two benedictions. They are too few to cause con- 
fusion ; they are ample for all occasions. 



CHAPTER VII. 

THE AARONIC AND APOSTOLIC BENEDICTIONS 
COMPARED. 

From the preceding chapter it appears that a 
careful comparison of the Aaronic and apostolic 
benedictions will be necessary. We must find on 
what grounds the latter is admissible as a bene- 
diction if we are to continue to so use it. Not only 
must all points of similarity be considered, but also 
all points of difference. These must be weighed 
as impartially as possible. 

Trinal in Form, — Both are trinal in form. In 
the Aaronic benediction there are three parts, and 
the name Jehovah is used in each. In pronouncing 
it, some writers say, the high priest, at least on 
some occasions, repeated the whole three times, 
and each time with a different accent on the 
divine name. A Hebrew, however, informs the 
author that this is a mistake ; that the high 
priest repeated the blessing but once, and with 
the same intonation of the divine name. The 
Jews regarded this repetition of the holy name 

(71) 



72 THE BENEDICTION. 

as containing some deep mystery. There were 
a great many mysteries in connection with the 
temple service which we Christians are sure are 
made plain by the revelation of God through 
Jesus Christ. We attribute to the threefold men- 
tion of the name a decidedly Trinitarian meaning. 
"It is not to be ignored, that the number three 
may be regarded as an Old Testament form of 
emphasis, and the six members as a threefold 
parallelism of members. But just as little should 
one ignore that the three economies of divine 
revelation are very plainly reflected in this bene- 
diction. And thus it forms one of the most glori- 
ous of the typical germs of the New Testament 
revelation in the Old Testament." — Lange. It is 
not in the province of this work to discuss the doc- 
trine of the Trinity. But this is written for those 
who accept that doctrine. 

To us God is Father, Son, and Holy Ghost — 
Triune. The apostolic benediction makes men- 
tion of these three persons, and specifies the par- 
ticular position of each in the plan of salvation. 
Thus the divine name is used in each three times. 
In this respect there is a complete correspondence. 
We believe this correspondence is not accidental. 



THE BENEDICTIONS COMPARED. '] -^ 

We are sure that the doctrine of the Trinity, which 
appears so vividly in the apostolic benediction, ex- 
plains, in a measure, the mystery which was re- 
garded as contained in the other one. We do not 
doubt that the triple use of the name Jehovah in 
Num. vi. 24-26 was an intimation of these three 
persons in the Godhead, and that the apostolic 
benediction gives clear expression to that which 
was there indistinctly foreshadowed. 

Unity of Content. — When we compare the con- 
tents of the two we are again impressed with their 
unity. There is unity of thought, but not uni- 
formity of expression. They differ both in word- 
ing and in the order of clauses. To compare them 
properly we must exchange the first and second 
clauses of the apostolic benediction, for the second 
clause of this corresponds with the first of the 
Aaronic. We need not think this strange, for 
under the law the most prominent thought was 
the blessing and care of God as the Father over all \ 
under the gospel the most pronounced thought 
is the grace of our lyord Jesus Christ, or the grace 
of God as revealed in Christ. Each Testament 
gives the first place to that which is most promi- 
nent in its teaching. 



74 'I'HE BENEDICTION. 

The Lord bless thee and keep thee. The love of 
God be with you all. In the Old Testament the 
Lord kept before the mind of His people the fact 
of His blessing and care. He is the Father, from 
whom proceeds all providential oversight. In the 
New is emphasized not only this providence, but 
the cause. The one presents the fact, the other 
both the fact and why it became a fact — namely, 
love. God, even in the law and the prophets, was 
making known the truth that His blessing and 
keeping were due to His love. " Yea, I have loved 
thee with an everlasting love : therefore with 
lovingkindness have I drawn thee " (Jer. xxxi. 3). 
The strength of His love for Israel surpassed that 
of a mother for her child. He could not "forget 
those whom He had graven on His hand (Isa. 
xlix. 15, 16). But this fuller expression of His love 
was made long afterwards. The first great fact 
to be impressed upon Israel was that their blessing 
and keeping were from Him. 

But when Christ came and explained these deep 
mysteries of God it became most apparent that all 
of His beneficent acts flow from His great love. All 
that God has ever done for His people has been 
the outgrowth of His infinite affection. Thus John 



THK BENEDICTIONS COMPARED. ^ ^ 

says, " Behold what manner of love the Father 
hath bestowed upon us that we should be called 
the sons of God." Christ Jesus, in that grand 
prayer in John xvii., in which He prays that the 
disciples may be kept by the Father's name, speaks 
these words : '' And that the world may know that 
Thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as Thou 
hast loved me." He associates the thought of 
their being kept by the Father's name with that of 
the love of the Father for them. So, while the 
older benediction speaks of blessing and keeping, 
the later one speaks of that in God which causes 
Him to bless and keep. The one reveals God's 
purposes towards His people, the other brings intO' 
full view that which called those purposes into be- 
ing, and which prompts their execution. 

The Lord make His face shine upon thee^ and be 
gracious unto thee. The grace of the Lord Jesus 
Christ be with you all. The former speaks of the 
fact that God reveals Himself to men, and of His 
graciousness ; the latter speaks of the means by 
which has been manifested His fullest revelation 
and grace. That which in the older dispensation 
was told, in the later is seen. The one is law, the 
other is grace and truth. '' No man hath seen God 



76 THE BENEDICTION. 

at any time ; the only begotten Son, which is in 
the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him." 
Christ brings within the range of our vision Him 
whom we had not otherwise seen and known. 
This thought is made clear in His reply to Thomas, 
"If ye had known me, ye should have known my 
Father also : and from henceforth ye know Him and 
have seen Him." Again He says, " He that seeth me 
seeth Him that sent me. I am come a light into the 
world, that whosoever believeth on me should not 
abide in darkness." In Hebrews we are told that 
Jesus is the brightness of the glory and the express 
image of the person of the Father. While we may 
not look upon the Father's face, yet Christ Jesus, by 
His grace, causes the glory of that face to shine upon 
us. This is what Paul means when he says, in 2 
Cor. iv. 6, " For God, who commanded the light to 
shine out of darkness, hath shined in oiir hearts, to 
give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God 
in the face of Jesus Christ." So the fact that God 
reveals Himself and manifests His grace is made 
known in the one. The means of that revelation 
and nature of that grace are comprehended in the 
other. 

The Lord lift tip His cowttenaitce up07t thee^ and 



THE BENEDICTIONS COMPARED. 'J'] 

give thee peace. The commti^iion of the Holy Ghost 
be with you all. The Holy Ghost, taking the 
things which belong to Christ, shows them unto 
His followers. He it is who illumines the truths 
of God, as revealed by Christ ; so we see " the face 
of God is turned on us in love." The fact that God 
looks upon us, that He turns His benign counte- 
nance upon us and gives peace is asserted in the 
one benediction ; how He brings His favor to bear 
upon us and gives peace is given in the other. 

It is in connection with the promise of the Holy 
Ghost, who should refresh the minds of the disci- 
ples and comfort them, that Christ said, " Peace I 
leave with you, my peace I give unto you. Not as 
the world giveth, give I unto you." The world 
gives peace in formal salutations, but Christ gives 
peace by the Holy Spirit, through the word. Such 
a blessing is pronounced in the benediction. A 
common salutation was, " Peace be with you." It 
was often, perhaps generally, repeated as a mere 
form, no doubt with no more thought than when 
we say " Good-bye " to some friends whom we have 
met. Yes, it was often repeated where no good- 
will existed. That was the peace the world gave. 
It meant very little. Christ said, " My peace I give 



78 THE BENEDICTION. 

unto you. Not as the world giveth, give I unto 
you." He sets the peace which He imparts through 
the Holy Ghost, and which is proclaimed in the 
benediction, over against the peace of the saluta- 
tion. Well He may, for He sends this Holy Com- 
forter to be with and in His disciples, and by and 
through Him we have fellowship, communion with 
God. "And truly our fellowship is with the 
Father and with His Son Jesus Christ." The bene- 
diction under the gospel is a real gift of peace. We 
see that the Lord has not turned His face away 
from us, but His countenance is lifted up upon us, 
and it is the favorable countenance of a Friend. 
The indwelling of the Holy Ghost, whereby we 
are brought into the full favor of God, into the full 
enjoyment of this exalted fellowship, is called 
"The communion of the Holy Ghost." So while 
the Aaronic benediction declares the fact of God's 
favor and peace, the apostolic reminds us that His 
favor and peace are found in the communion of the 
Holy Ghost. 

Thus we see that the two benedictions agree in 
thought, with this difference, that the older one 
declares the fact of God's blessing, grace, and 
peace ; the later one, with this fact in plain view, 



THE BENEDICTIONS COMPARED. 79 

declares the cause of the fact and the means through 
which blessing, grace, and peace are realized by 
God's children. It is apparent that the apostolic 
benediction does not lose by this comparison. It 
really carries the view of the goodness of God, as 
seen in the benediction, forward a step. This is 
what we would expect, as in harmony with the ad- 
vance made from the law to the gospel. In fact, it 
seems to be a fitting adaptation of the benediction 
to the needs of Christian worship. This largely 
accounts for its general adoption. 

Simplicity. — As to simplicity of language, the 
apostolic benediction compares favorably with the - 
older one. Notwithstanding the fact that in it is 
given as comprehensive a view of the great kindness 
of God, it has greater brevity, equal simplicity of ex- 
pression, and a dignity as exalted. No man could 
amend or improve the Aaronic benediction ; but 
the Lord, by His inspired writer, has given us a 
counterpart which surpasses it in simplicity and 
brevity, just as the gospel in these respects sur- 
passes the law. Paul does not say, " And now may 
the grace of God the Son," but simply, " The grace 
of the Ivord Jesus Christ." He does not say, " And 
the unsearchable love of God the Father," but 



8o THE BENEDICTION. 

" And the love of God." He does not say, " And 
the communion and fellowship of God the Holy 
Ghost," but "And the communion of the Holy 
Ghost." Nor does he say, " Be and abide with you 
all, now and forevermore, world without end," but 
simply, " Be with you all." To reduce it in any 
way would place it in the list with other saluta- 
tions ; to increase it in any way makes it redun- 
dant, and consequently weakens it. 

This comparison, we think, fully substantiates 
the claim made as to the fitness of the apostolic 
benediction for the position it occupies. It may 
properly be placed beside the Aaronic blessing, and 
be accorded the same high authority. For, al- 
though there is no direct command, there are all 
the chief characteristics of the authorized blessing. 
The two harmonize in their simplicity, in their 
triple form, in their unity of thought, and in their 
announcement of the divine name. Both are divine 
blessings. Both make full declaration of the name 
and blessings of the Lord God. Both express com- 
prehensively, as is nowhere else done in so few 
words, the fullness, the completeness, the richness 
of God's grace, mercy, and peace. 

The one, while not a pattern for other benedic- 



THE BENEDICTIONS COMPARED. 8l 

tions in Hebrew worship, gives us the pattern for 
the newer gospel form, the other conforms to the 
pattern ; the one reveals and expresses God's pur- 
poses towards His children, the other illuminates 
those purposes ; the one gives us the facts, the 
other includes the demonstration of the facts ; the 
one is the grace of God declared from the midst of 
law and ceremonial worship, the other is the law 
of God declared as to His grace in redemption, lov- 
ing care, and salvation. They are the chapiters 
upon the two pillars Jachin and Boaz in the porch 
of the Temple : the one, Jachin, is the promise of 
coming establishment; the other, Boaz, is its con- 
firmation in strength. 
6 



CHAPTER VIIL 

THE APOSTOLIC BENEDICTION AND EPISTOLARY 
SALUTATIONS COMPARED. 

Salutations occupy an important place in 
man's relation to his fellows. The fact that they 
are found among all nations indicate their utility. 
The benedictions occupy an important place in 
worship. The salutation and the benediction are 
related to each other. Parts of the Aaronic bene- 
diction clearly correspond with certain salutations. 
Thus, "The Lord bless thee," is given as a saluta- 
tion in Ruth ii. 4. Joseph said to Benjamin, " God 
be gracious unto thee." Some other parts of this 
benediction are also very similar to salutations. 
The apostolic benediction may also be shown to 
bear a close relation to the salutation. 

It is this benediction we now propose to compare 
with the epistolary salutations, that it may be 
more fully shown that even these, which express so 
much of good-will and blessing, do not comply 
with the standard set by the Aaronic benediction, 
nor gain the end secured by the apostolic. This 

(82) 



BENEDICTION AND SAI.UTATIONS COMPARED. 83 

benediction includes all things as to God's name, 
grace, love, and spiritual life. The salutations in- 
clude these things only partially. Two very im- 
portant parts of the benediction express what is 
not in any of the salutations. There are no saluta- 
tions which express the meaning of the words, 
'' The love of God," or " The communion of the 
Holy Ghost." 

God is very solicitous for the salvation of man. 
To this end He has made and revealed a most 
gracious plan. In the development and working 
out of this plan, the Father, the Son, and the Holy 
Ghost, the three persons of the Godhead, are all 
actively engaged. At no point in the plan does one 
work independently of the other, for it is one God 
who is thus revealed as three persons. Yet, in the 
plan each has His own special sphere of operation 
in which He appears as the chief agent. 

Thus, the Father has planned and appointed the 
blessing of salvation and eternal happiness for man. 
The Son and Holy Spirit appear in this along with 
the Father, in that they also have the same design 
concerning man. But it appears as the special 
field of activity of the Father that He ordains and 
provides for the reclaim and happiness of the world. 



84 THE BENEDICTION. 

Because this benevolent design is the immediate 
outgrowth of His commiseration and love, it is 
spoken of in the benediction as the " love of God." 
This is not said to the exclusion of that love which 
is borne toward man by the Son and the Holy 
Ghost. The love of Christ constantly appears in 
His life and work, and the love of the Spirit is 
continually manifested by His interest in men's 
souls. But the words, " the love of God,'^ express 
particularly the full scope of all the Father's provi- 
dence, kindness, and beneficent designs which He 
bestows upon His people. So, this part of the 
benediction is intended to cover one of the definite 
parts of the divine plan of salvation. This pater- 
nal feature in the divine economy is by all regarded 
as of highest significance and importance. This 
divine supervision, this fatherly care and keeping 
of His people, this supreme interest in man's eter- 
nal welfare, which shows itself in all provisions 
made for his salvation, is but the outflowing 
of that love which He is. As John says, "God is 
love." This supreme fact of God's paternal atti- 
tude towards His people is not expressed in any 
simple sentence salutation given in the New Testa- 
ment. The nearest approach to it is in 2 Cor. xiii. 



BENEDICTION AND SALUTATIONS COMPARED. 85 

II, " And the God of love and peace shall be with 
you." This, however, is made as a promise, and 
not as a salutation. If there were such salutations, 
they could only be construed by inference as cover- 
ing the ground of God's full measure of blessing. 
One might infer that because God's love is the 
source of all man's mercies and blessings, that the 
salutation, ''The love of God be with you," would 
cover the whole ground. But the absence of such 
.a salutation does away with the necessity of draw- 
ing any inference at all. There is no sentence in 
the New Testament in the form of salutation or 
benediction which expresses what is meant when 
we say, "The love of God be with you," other 
than this in the apostolic benediction. So, in this 
respect, there is no one of the salutations which is 
sufficiently comprehensive. 

The special work of the Lord Jesus Christ was 
to provide for our redemption. He has purchased 
by His own blood, shed upon the cross, the salva- 
tion appointed by the Father. All things necessary 
for the redeeming of the soul, and all things which 
iDelong to that redemption in any way He has 
secured by His humiliation, suffering, and death. 
Now, all of God's goodness towards us is an act of 



86 THE BENEDICTION. 

grace, or what, in other words, we would term un- 
merited favor ; and as this grace is more marvel- 
ously displayed in Christ's work of redemption, the 
sacred writers spoke of His work specifically as one 
of grace. This is not done to the exclusion of the 
grace of the Father and Holy Spirit, but rather 
with the idea that the chief manifestation of the 
grace of God is centered in the I^ord Jesus Christ. 
The grace of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is 
brought to man through the Son. "Grace and 
truth came by Jesus Christ." Thus Paul says in 
I Cor. i. 4, "I thank my God always in your behalf 
for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus 
Christ." The benediction and a number of the 
salutations agree in the words, " The grace of the 
Lord Jesus Christ be with you all." By these 
words, no doubt, reference is made to that special 
feature of the plan of salvation which belongs to 
the mediatorial work of Christ. But, as seen al- 
ready, this is not all of God's wonderful plan for 
saving men. 

Let us, for the sake of comparison, combine these 
two parts, "The love of God" and "The grace of 
Christ," and we still have not covered the ground 
of the riches of God's gifts to men, nor have we 



BENEDICTION AND SALUTATIONS COMPARED. S^J 

fully given expression to His revealed name. If 
we had, then we would be justified in using as bene- 
dictions some of the salutations with which certain 
epistles open. The larger number of Paul's epis- 
tles have, with slight variations, this greeting, 
*' Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our 
Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ." And sev- 
eral have this greeting, " Grace, mercy, and peace, 
from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord." 
This is often changed to read, " Grace, mercy, and 
peace, from God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, be 
with you all," and in this form is used as a bene- 
diction, but there is no such sentence in the word 
of God. John, in his second epistle, greets those 
to whom it is written with these words, " Grace, 
mercy, and peace be with you, from God the Father, 
and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the 
Father, in truth and love." The Revised Version, 
however, construes this in a way to place it without 
the bounds of salutations. Now, if the scope of 
God's goodness and blessing was fully covered by 
the work of the Father and the Son, these saluta- 
tions might be appropriately used, but this, how- 
ever, is not the case. 

There is one other field of operation in the great 



88 THE BENEDICTION. 

plan, and there is one other name in the Trinity. 
The apostolic benediction does not fully conform to 
the Aaronic until this precious name is spoken, and 
the work of Him who bears it is designated. In 
no salutation is it said, " The communion of the 
Holy Spirit be with you all." This is the point 
which radically separates this from all the saluta- 
tions, and marks it as a benediction. The office of 
the Holy Ghost is to offer and apply, through the 
word and the sacraments, the blessing of the Father 
and the redeeming grace of the Son. He takes 
the things which belong to Christ and shows them 
unto Christ's followers. He brings the believer 
into spiritual touch with the Father and the Son. 
He abides with believers and ministers to their 
comfort and joy. He is ever with God's people. 
As Jesus says, " He dwelleth with you, and shall be 
in you." This abiding presence of the Holy 
Spirit is called fellowship, communion. The apos- 
tle speaks of the Holy Spirit's part in the great 
work of bringing us into true spiritual life, and of 
His relation to us at all times as ''the communion 
of the Holy Ghost." 

Thus is brought into full view, by the benedic- 
tion, the great and holy name, with all the wideness 



BENEDICTION AND SAI^UTATIONS COMPARED. 89 

and riches of the grace of God. The more we look 
into this matter, the plainer we see the inadapt- 
ability of the salutations to the act of blessing. 
They are insufficient (may we not say deficient ?) in 
the two ends designed in the benediction, namely, 
the putting upon the children of God the holy 
name, and conveying to them with that name the 
most complete and largest measure of blessing. 
To such exalted use only the Aaronic and apostolic 
benedictions may aspire. 

Still another thought may add a little to the 
argument. When Christ gave the Church her com- 
mission, He said, " Go ye therefore and disciple all 
nations, baptizing them into the name of the 
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." 
It is not names, but the one name into which they 
are to be baptized. The act of baptism inducts 
them into that name, or puts it upon them. All 
the three titles form the one name. The act of 
baptism would be invalidated, and the sacrament 
be incomplete if it were performed in the name of 
the Father, and of the Son only. We are not to 
suppose when Paul had the disciples of John at 
Bphesus baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, that 
this name alone was used. This was only the way 



90 THE BENEDICTION. 

the writer of the Acts took to designate that they 
had now received Christian baptism. The fact 
that they had not heard of the Holy Ghost showed 
Paul at once that their baptism had not been Chris- 
tian. It was deficient, not in mode or any such 
thing, but in that whereunto they were baptized, 
and in the name into which that baptism inducted 
them. 

Now, while baptism and the benediction differ in 
that the latter is not a sacrament, yet they are simi- 
lar in this, that both these means of grace are 
instrumental in the putting of the name of God 
upon His people. The name, Father, Son, and 
Holy Ghost, seems as essential in the one act as in 
the other. In the Aaronic benediction, the name 
Jehovah, three times repeated, as foreshadowing 
this Trinity, has to us the same significance. 

In closing this chapter, permit this observation. 
Those ministers who have misunderstood the com- 
mission to preach Christ, and who spend much 
energy in shouting their shibboleth of " Holy Ghost 
religion," not knowing that where Christ is faith- 
fully preached, there the Holy Ghost is actively 
engaged in leading men to the light, almost in- 
variably use a salutation as a benediction. Thus 



BENEDICTION AND SALUTATIONS COMPARED. 9I 

do they practically ignore that Holy Spirit whom 
they disproportionately exalt. We do not remem- 
ber as having had come under our observation a 
single exception to the truth of this statement. 
That which they most strenuously preach they, in 
this particular, practically disallow. 

The simple sentence salutations do not stand the 
test as does the apostolic benediction. The com- 
parison just made between them and it more fully 
shows its fitness as an ofiicial blessing, and their 
unfitness for that act. They are unfit, not for the 
purpose for which they were written, but for this 
important ministerial act for which they were not 
intended. In speaking thus we are not saying any- 
thing derogatory of them as parts of the inspired 
word of God. They have their place and their 
appropriate use, but it is not to serve the purpose 
of ofiicial blessings. Nothing is gained by so em^ 
ploying them, but really something is lost. The 
use of the apostolic benediction is permissible only 
because of its unquestioned fitness for the ofiicial 
act of blessing. The very thing which entitles it 
to this important position is wanting in the ordi- 
nary salutations. 



CHAPTER IX. 

THK OFFICIAL CHARACTER OF THE ACT UNDER 
THE GOSPEI.. 

That the act of pronouncing the benediction 
was, under the law, purely priestly and official is 
evident from what has gone before. We have 
taken for granted that the same is true of the act 
as performed by the Christian ministry under the 
gospel. But it seems proper to consider this fact 
specially, that we may understand more fully why 
it has the same official significance and force in our 
worship. 

Nearly the whole body of the Christian Church 
believes that certain men are called of God to the 
ministry of the word. These are consecrated and 
ordained, by the laying on of hands, to the holy 
office of the ministry. *' How shall they believe 
in Him of whom they have not heard? and how 
shall they hear without a preacher ? and how shall 
they preach except they be sent ? " There must be 
a herald, one who makes official declaration of the 

(92) 



OFFICIAI. CHARACTER OF THE ACT. 93 

*'Glad tidings of good things." " How beautiful 
are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, 
and bring glad tidings of good things." This 
bearing of tidings, which at Christ's command took 
the form of preaching, is in most respects peculiar 
to the gospel dispensation. 

The authority for this office of the gospel min- 
istry is as well founded upon the Scriptures of the 
New Testament as was the Aaronic priesthood by 
the Old. As " Aaron was separated, that he should 
sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons for- 
ever, to burn incense before the Lord, to minister 
unto Him, and to bless in His name forever," so the 
Church still separates men called of God, and or- 
dains them as His ambassadors, to preach the word, 
to administer the sacraments, and to perform such 
sacred rites of worship as belong alone to the min- 
isters of the word. The fact that this ministerial 
office is not a birthright as under the law does not 
derogate its official character. It was said specially 
of this, " No man taketh this honor unto himself, 
but he that is called of God, as was Aaron." 

Jesus delegated to His apostles such official privi- 
leges. " I have chosen you and ordained you, that 
ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your 



94 THE BENEDICTION. 

fruit should remain." Of this office Paul said, " I 
thank Jesus Christ our Lord ... for that He 
counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry-." 
And again, " Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, 
and an apostle." 

This office of the ministry is quite different from 
the universal priesthood in which we believe. As 
is said in i Pet. ii. 9, " But ye are a chosen genera- 
tion, a royal priesthood, a holy nation," and in 
Rev. i. 6, " And hath made us kings and priests 
unto God and His Father." But this universal 
priesthood is not an office. It refers not to minis- 
trations in religious rites, but to the fact that every 
Christian has the priestly privilege of immediate 
approach to God ; that he may, unrestrained, ap- 
proach the Lord's altar and there offer his spiritual 
sacrifices. Such an act is a priestly function, not 
necessarily an official one. 

The ministry, however, is, according to the New 
Testament, a holy office to which men are called, 
and in which they are set apart to administer holy 
things. The propitiatory character of the Aaronic 
priesthood is fully assumed by Jesus Christ, though 
He is not of the order of that priesthood. If Christ 
were of the Aaronic order it would not mark the 



OFFICIAIv CHARACTER OF THE ACT. 95 

end of that priesthood, but because he is after the 
order of Melchizedek, He, as the great High Priest, 
the one Mediator between God and man, supersedes 
the high priest's ofhce of Aaron, and brings it to an 
-end. The priest's office, in so far as it pertained to 
ministrations unto men, to the declaration of God's 
word and administration of the means of grace, 
Christ has delegated to those who are set apart to 
the office of the gospel ministry. Hence, Paul 
says, " Let a man so account of us, as of the minis- 
ters of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of 
God." 

We cannot, then, claim for the gospel ministry 
the same priestly character which belonged to the 
Levitical priesthood, but aside from that the gospel 
ministry has the same official and ministerial char- 
acter. We are not priests in the sense in which they 
were priests, more than except that we belong to 
the universal priesthood, but we are ministers in the 
same sense in which they were. We do not occupy 
the same mediatorial position, for that is assumed 
wholly by Christ and is peculiar to Him. But in 
those acts which pertain to the official declaration 
•of the word and promises of God we occupy the 
same position. In this sense the gospel ministry 



96 THE BENEDICTION. 

supersedes the Levitical priesthood. Were this not 
so, there would be no occasion for such an office as 
that of the gospel ministry. 

It would be disastrous to Protestantism to make 
of the ministerial office a purely sacerdotal institu- 
tion, but, on the other hand, it is contrary to New 
Testament teaching to remove from that office all 
functions of an intermediary character. " I beseech 
you, in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." 
The idea that ministrations at the altar under the 
gospel contained any propitiatory sacrifice was re- 
jected by Luther and all Protestants, but the official 
character and efficacy of the declaration of God's 
word and grace is in nothing inferior to the Leviti- 
cal propaganda. 

The Church has the power to set apart men for 
the office of the ministry, but not the right to per- 
form some things which belong to that office. It 
can delegate what it cannot do. Thus, the people 
in this country elect officers and judges to rule and 
execute the laws which they themselves have not 
the power nor right to execute. This appropriately 
illustrates the position of the body of the members 
of the Church as to their right to perform minis- 
terial prerogatives. 



OFFICIAL CHARACTER OF THE ACT. 97 

If, under tlie old priesthood, it was a glorious act 
to put the name of God upon the congregation in 
blessing them, how much more glorious is it under 
the dominion of grace to bless in the name of the 
Lord. ''For if the ministration of condemnation 
be glory, much more doth the ministration of right- 
eousness exceed in glory." In no particular is the 
importance of the act of worship lessened by pass- 
ing of the same from the tabernacle to the temple, 
from the temple to the Church. Our ministry is 
as sacred, as exalted, and as efficacious under the 
gospel as was the priestly ministry when engaged 
in the symbolical ceremonies of the law. Even 
more exalted is the office of gospel ministration, 
for it exceeds the other in glory. And while the 
ceremonies and paraphernalia of Levitical ritual- 
ism have passed away, with the mediatorial charac- 
ter of its priesthood, yet the official essentials of 
worship still abide, and are even more significant 
and clear, and are completer in their bestowal of 
gracious gifts. There has been no degrading of the 
standard of either moral law or religious worship. 
There is, on the other hand, a greater efficiency in 
the word preached and a fuller manifestation of the 
grace bestowed through the ministrations of God's 
7 



-gS THE BENEDICTION. 

appointed ministers. So the official character and 
gracious blessings of .the benediction remain, and 
possess even fuller meaning and force under the 
gospel ministry. 



CHAPTER X. 

IMPORTANCE OF ACT. 

From the foregoing it will be seen that the act 
of pronouncing the benediction is one of the most 
important of the ministerial ojGfice. It is one of the 
special privileges of that office ; one of the few 
things which mark the official character of the 
ministry ; one of the things for which those who 
officiate at the altar are set apart. All men, except 
ordained ministers, are proscribed here. lycst some 
may think the writer is making a mistake in using 
the words "officiate at the altar," in this connec- 
tion, he wishes to state that the expression is used, 
not in the specific sense in which it is w^hen we 
speak of services at the altar as over against pulpit 
service. The benediction is not intercessory, but 
belongs to those acts which the minister performs 
when he has turned from the altar and bears God's 
message to the worshipers. The words, as here and 
elsewhere usedj refer to the character of the office, 
not of this special official act. 
(99) 



lOO THE BENEDICTION. 

The act is one of the best things in a ministry of 
good things. There is a potency in it. It is a 
ministration of gracious blessing to all who have 
sincerely worshiped, to all the children of God. It 
is not only a means of grace in that it is the word 
of God, but it is the pronouncement and assurance 
of the present active operation of grace. With the 
act goes the comforting promise, that by the decla- 
ration the minister puts the Lord's name upon His 
people, and that God blesses them. If there seems 
to be a mystery here, we should remember that all 
■communication of grace is mysterious. All things 
that pertain to the imparting of spiritual gifts and 
life are most mysterious. From that greatest mys* 
tery — the incarnation — until the work is completed 
and our souls shall pass the boundary of this life 
into the eternal glories, all things which concern 
our salvation are full of wonders, and shrouded by 
the veil which separates the unseen from the seen. 
After all, much that concerns life has to be taken 
upon faith. But the blessing, however mysterious 
in the transmission, is as real and as truly given. 
We experience the good designed by the blessing, 
though we cannot comprehend its transmission to 
us, just as truly as we derive good from the products 



IMPORTANCE OF ACT. lOI 

of the soil, though no one understands the process 
of their growth or their assimilation by our body. 
This communicating of the blessing is just what 
the Lord assures us takes place. " And they shall 
put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will 
hless them." 

Yet we must not ascribe to the benediction a 
magical influence or power. The act must be freed 
from all superstition. It was the almost universal 
belief in ancient times, that magic spells or incan- 
tations pronounced over individuals for good or evil 
liad an irresistible power. Thus Balak sent for 
Balaam that he should come and curse Israel. 
Even to-day many people hold such views. What- 
«ever God may pronounce accursed will be accursed, 
and whatever He may bless will be blessed, but 
man's cursings or blessings mean nothing unless 
they conform to God's will. Mt. Bbal and Mt. 
Gerizim teach us the great lesson, that while 
the blessing or the curse is not without God's 
power, neither are they independent of our own 
choice and conduct. Neither the one nor the other 
can come upon us without our consent. The bless- 
ing of the benediction is alone to them who believe 
God's promises, to those who in such faith come 



I02 THE BENEDICTION. 

before Him with prayer, praise, and thanksgiving. 
Of necessity there can be no blessing in it for 
anyone who spurns the name and grace of God. 
Dr. E. T. Horn quotes Luther as saying of the 
benedictions, " They are not wish blessings, but 
actual benedictions, wherewith such good things 
are handed and given to us." If a man '' despise 
the riches of His goodness and forbearance and 
long-suffering," how can he expect that the I^ord's 
benediction will bring to him anything but greater 
hardness and inipenitence of heart ? 

The thought is, that while the benediction is a 
real blessing, and the minister in the act of pro- 
nouncing it is the intermediary agent, yet the 
blessing is not imposed, it is not an arbitrary gift. 
It is a free and gracious gift, yet it is not bestowed 
upon the unwilling and scornful. The higher, 
fuller things of the means of grace are not 
operative unless there be a receptive mind and 
believing heart. The benediction declares the 
imparting of God's fullest grace, but it is no bless- 
ing to anyone who does not receive it as such, 
and abides therein. However earnestly the min- 
ister may desire, pray, and labor that God's love, 
grace, and spiritual communion may reach the 



IMPORTANCE OF ACT. IO3 

sinner with saving power, yet he pronounces the 
benediction for and upon the believer, and its 
benefits are to him only. To him it is potential 
for good, else the Lord had never said, "On this 
wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, . . . and 
they shall put my name upon them, and I will 
bless them." So, while there is nothing in the 
act of the nature which ignorance has ascribed to 
magic spells and incantations, yet it is potential 
in its benefits. 

Right here it may be proper to make this state- 
ment as to the grammatical construction of the 
benedictions. They are in the imperative mode. 
The force of the Hebrew verbs in the Aaronic 
benediction is that of the apocopated or jussive 
future, and indicates a mild command. Our Eng- 
lish translation is a very accurate expression of the 
verbal force of the benedictions. "The force of 
this mode under the same form depends upon the 
relation of the parties. If a superior speaks im- 
peratively to an inferior, it is a command ; if to an 
equal, it is an exhortation or an entreaty ; if an in- 
ferior to a superior, it is a prayer or supplication." 
God is commanding His blessing upon His be- 
lieving children ; not arbitrarily, but nevertheless 



I04 THE BENEDICTION. 

positively. He wills and affirms that those who re- 
ceive in faith be blessed. The minister is superior 
to the congregation only as to his office, but he pro- 
nounces the benediction officially. He is not im- 
ploring that blessing, not praying for it, not entreat- 
ing them to receive it, but he is declaring it in the 
Lord's name — namely, by the Lord's authority. 
He is commanding that blessing upon those who 
receive it in faith, when he repeats the message 
and declaration which the Lord has authorized him 
to make. It is not in his power to confer the 
blessing as coming from himself, but it is in his 
power to transmit it ; and he does so, not as an in- 
vocation, nor imploringly, nor as an exhortation, but 
imperatively. There is no subjunctive uncertainty, 
there is no contingent condition, so that one 
officiating should say, " And now may the Lord 
bless (if He will)." On the one hand is the Lord, 
ready to bless, yes, more read}^ than we can con- 
ceive ; on the other hand is His child, believing and 
trustful, ready to be blessed. The Lord commands 
the blessing upon that believer by the mouth of His 
minister. He who said, " Then I will command 
my blessing upon you in the sixth 3'ear, and it 
shall bring forth fruit for three years " (Lev. xxv. 



IMPORTANCE OF ACT. 105 

21), has provided that His spiritual blessings be an- 
nounced and imparted imperatively. We are, then, 
not to hold a low estimate of the importance of the 
official act of blessing, nor are we to esteem its 
benefits lightly. It is a potent declaration of grace 
to all who hold the word of God in faith. " We 
are made partakers of Christ if we hold the begin- 
ning of our confidence steadfast unto the end." On 
the same ground are we made partakers of the 
fullness of the blessing imperatively pronounced in 
the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy 
Ghost. 



CHAPTER XL 

MANNER OF PRONOUNCING AND RECEIVING THE 
BENEDICTION. 

From what has been said, it must be apparent 
to all that there should be care and reverence on 
the part of both minister and congregation in this 
part of divine services. That we, who are but 
men, have been set apart to officiate in holy things, 
is altogether a most serious matter. That we have 
been delegated to put God's name upon His people 
is a great and holy responsibility. The mind of 
the minister, when he is engaged in the discharge 
of his sacred duties, should be clear. He should 
be fully alive to the fact that he is the ambassador 
of God, a mouthpiece to declare the Lord's mercy 
and grace. In no part of the service is that decla- 
ration more vivid than when he extends his hand 
over the assembled worshipers and blesses them. 

As for the people, there is no moment more sol- 
emn and impressive than that. There is no part of 
the service which furnishes greater occasion for 
holy joy and spiritual comfort. Here is a sign and 
(io6) 



PRONOUNCING AND RECEIVING BENEDICTION. I07 

token that the Lord has heard their prayers and is 
answering them ; that salvation has now come 
upon them. This is no mere form, and should by no 
means be regarded simply as a customary and neat 
way of closing services. It is rather the grand cul- 
mination towards which the whole act of worship, 
with its prayer, praise, and thanksgiving, has 
tended, namely, God's spoken response to His child 
who has drawn near unto Him. 

Attitude of the Minister. — The attitude of 
the minister should not be that of prayer. He is 
not praying to God, but proclaiming God's message 
and conveying His blessing. When the minister 
draws near to God in prayer, he properly closes his 
eyes, for God is not to be looked upon. He and 
the congregation are communing with a spiritual 
Father, who is worshiped in spirit and in truth ; 
then the world is shut out. In this reference is 
made only to extempore prayer, and it is not in any 
way to refer to those prayers which are read in parts 
of a regularly-prescribed service. But when we, as 
ministers of the Word, come from the Father's 
presence with His message to His beloved, we ought 
to declare that message, or pronounce His word 
with eyes open. That expresses our confidence in 



I08 THE BENEDICTION. 

the message we bring. What would our forefathers 
have thought if the heralds who went in every 
direction proclaiming independence and liberty had 
done so with eyes closed, as if in prayer ? 

There is no more reason for closing the eyes 
when pronouncing the benediction than when 
preaching ; there is the same reason for having 
them open in both acts. Both belong to the same 
class, there being this difference, that the preaching 
is general in character, while the benediction is 
specific ; the one is the proclamation of grace to 
all, the other is to believers only. 

Long custom, however, has firmly fixed upon us 
the habit of pronouncing God's blessing with eyes 
closed. To do otherwise would look strange, and 
would be considered by many as an act of sacri- 
lege. Hence the friend to whom we are indebted 
for this thought, and who never hesitates to advo- 
cate any and all convictions he may have, said : 
" But I have never had the courage to do it." In 
that he voiced the feelings of the writer and of 
others. But eventually, when we come to under- 
stand the matter better, we will not hesitate to 
offer and bestow God's name and blessing with eyes 
open to them for whom it is designed. That such 



PRONOUNCING AND RECEIVING BENEDICTION. I09 

is the proper attitude must be apparent to all who 
duly consider the matter. 

Position of the Hand. — Related to the above 
is the position of the hand or hands. This seems 
such a small matter that no doubt some will say, 
"What is the difference?" This is an external 
matter, it is true, and one quite unessential. That 
is, it would be a benediction without the use of the 
hands, or if a minister were so unfortunate as to 
lose his hands. Yet, as the hand or hands are used, 
there is a significance in that use. While we do a 
thing we might as well do it properly. The hands 
have a language of their own. One motion may 
express one idea, another quite a different one. 
The child knows very well what is meant when 
we hold out our hands to invite it to our arms. 
Teachers of oratory lay stress upon motion and at- 
titude on the part of the speaker. We will ob- 
serve, in listening to a polished orator, that every 
motion is in harmony with his thought. The 
writer heard this criticism of one of our most dis- 
tinguished statesmen and orators. " Everything 
spoke — his hands, his spectacles, his handkerchief." 
That impression was made simply because the 
orator used his body in harmony with his thoughts. 



no THE BENEDICTION. 

There are certain positions of the hands which 
express petition ; quite different ones denote the 
conferring of a blessing. Thus, the hands held 
low, with palms turned upward, denotes petition. 
Under great excitement and earnestness the hands 
would be raised, but palms still turned upward or 
together. That expresses humility and want. But 
in conferring a favor, a blessing, or granting a re- 
quest the hand would naturally be held just the 
opposite, higher, with palms outward and down- 
ward, towards and over the congregation. The use 
of the hand in the benediction is to typify the 
placing of the hand upon the head. Jacob placed 
his hands upon the heads of the sons of Joseph. 
Jesus laid His hands upon the children and 
blessed them. We are informed that the high 
priest to-day holds his hands thus, using both hands, 
with thumbs touching each other and forefingers 
touching each other, but with palms outward to- 
wards and over the congregation. 

Now, in officiating before a congregation, laying 
the hand upon the head would be impossible, so 
Aaron lifted up his hand towards the people (Lev. 
ix. 22). Likewise to His disciples, at His ascen- 
sion, Jesus " lifted up His hands and blessed them.'* 



PRONOUNCING AND RECEIVING BENEDICTION. Ill 

It seems evident that in the benediction the hand 
is used in token of the " laying on of hands," and 
is emblematic of that. It is the act of conferring a 
blessing, and the hand should be extended towards 
the people, with palm outward and downward. 
Years back one would have always seen the bene- 
diction given in this way. But later a fad went 
the rounds of the ministry that the benediction 
should be pronounced with the hands low and palms 
upward. That completed the conversion of the 
benediction into a prayer. First the closing of the 
eyes, then changing the words into a form of 
prayer, and finally the holding of the hands in the 
position of supplication, no wonder the benediction 
has been defined as a prayer. 

The Amen. — The amen is properly the response 
of the people, and not in the benediction itself. 
The best manuscripts give no amen to the apos- 
tolic benediction, neither is there any in the 
Aaronic benediction. That, we judge, was for the 
congregation to supply, and we have good evidence 
that it was so used. It was evidently introduced 
into the text later by some copyist, because it was 
the common practice to make such a response, and 
other copyists followed his example. 



112 THE BENEDICTION. 

The Lord directed that when the children of 
Israel should reach their promised inheritance they 
should proceed to the mountains Gerizim and Ebal, 
and there, with half the tribes on one mountain and 
half on the other, all the curses and blessings de- 
clared in the law should be read, and to each one 
all the people should say, "Amen." Those on 
Mount Gerizim, we understand, responded thus to 
the blessings, and those on Mount Bbal, to the 
curses. 

At the close of David's psalm of thanksgiving, 
when he had brought the ark to the tent which 
had been prepared for it in the city of David, " All 
the people said, Amen." At the close of Psalm cvi., 
in which David praises God for His wonderful 
providence manifested towards the children of Israel, 
are the words, " Let all the people say. Amen, Hal- 
lelujah." A few other instances are given, several 
of which are in the Apocalypse, showing that it 
was common to thus express assent to the worship 
which preceded. 

However, the passage which has the most deci- 
sive bearing upon this matter, and which shows 
that the practice was common in the days of the 
apostles, is found in i Cor. xiv. i6, " Else when 



PRONOUNCING AND RECEIVING BENEDICTION. II3 

thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that 
occupieth the place of the unlearned say ' The 
Amen ' at thy giving of thanks, seeing he under- 
standest not what thou sayest ? " The article before 
Amen is in the Greek text, but was omitted in the 
King James Version. It has been restored by the 
Revised Version, and greatly strengthens the pas- 
sage. It shows that such a response was the cus- 
tomary practice in the early Church ; so customary 
that he refers to it as " The Amen." So, when the 
minister blesses the congregation in the name of 
the lyord, " Let all the people say. Amen." 

The Pause, or Silent Prayer. — In this act of 
divine worship God comes very nigh unto His 
people. That presence, which made even the 
ground holy, so that Moses had need to remove his 
shoes from off his feet, is with them. It is a 
precious and solemn moment. The congregation 
should be taught to realize it. The assembly should 
not at once begin to break up in confusion. It is not 
seemly that confusion should reign when the words 
of blessing have scarcely left the minister's lips. 

Neither does it become the office of the ministry^ 
nor is it in conformity to the solemnity of worship, 
that the minister should rush to the door to shake 



114 I'HE BENEDICTION. 

hands and otherwise entertain the people socially. 
If they have gathered in the right spirit, it is for 
purposes of worship, and that should not be lost 
sight of by such a mechanical and professional 
style of handshaking. It is all right for Christians 
to greet their fellow-Christians, and the stranger, 
and show a real brotherly interest at such a time. 
But the confusion-working professional handshak- 
ing, which has become the custom with many min- 
isters, may be abandoned to the very great spiritual 
advantage of the congregation, who by it lose sight 
of the spiritual blessings which the worship should 
have wrought. 

After the blessing is a moment, the holy influ- 
ence of which is too important, too full of spiritual 
uplift, to be lost in the confusion of unimportant 
conversation and the putting on of wraps. There 
is no time in all the hour of worship when God's 
people may more fittingly stand a few moments 
with reverential attitude and commune with God. 
The communion of the Holy Spirit is with them. 
This is not a mere form. Oh, no ! It is but 
proper conduct in such a presence, and betokens a 
devotional spirit. Why should it be thought an 
evidence of spirituality to be informal and irrever- 



PRONOUNCING AND RECEIVING BENEDICTION. II 5 

ent in the Lord's house ? Why is proper decorum 
in worship regarded by many as formalism ? 

Let us go into the house of God with the multi- 
tude. Our reverential frame of mind may be dis- 
turbed by the fact that no order is observed as to 
the parts of the service. There seems to have been 
no preparation for it. The minister must even say, 
" Brethren, sing something ; " and then there is a 
long, tedious waiting, which shows that no brother 
has selected any hymn. The same indefiniteness 
pervades the whole service. And when such a con- 
gregation has received what should have been God's 
blessing there is general clatter of tongues, lively 
gossip, straining into overcoats, and, perhaps, even 
putting on of hats. As we depart we will hear 
someone say, " What a spiritual service ! " 

Let us again go into the house of God with the 
multitude. The people come to their seating with 
manifest reverence. There is no uncertainty about 
the service. All is calm and devotional. Every 
part of the service has been provided for, and is 
"done decently and in order." When the blessing 
is spoken, the people respond with the " Amen," 
and all remain silent and devotional, then in a few 
moments begin to disperse quietly. Some say, as 



Il6 THE BENEDICTION. 

we walk with the multitude away, " How formal ! 
How cold and lifeless ! " 

Why do such persons thus differently estimate 
the services ? Because to them informality is spirit- 
uality, and in their minds emotionalism and spirit- 
uality are confused. Informality and formalism 
are akin, and when they are mingled many persons 
cannot discern the fact, nor distinguish between 
them. They both are monstrosities in the house of 
God. Formalism is so nearly related to bad form 
that the informal formalist cannot discern that his 
bad form in the house of God is real formalism. 
In his opinion, the man who worships God with 
becoming conduct and appropriate ways is a formal- 
ist, and wanting in spiritual life. 

But true forms are germain to true worship, and 
when formalism is introduced among these true 
forms, even in the slightest degree, it becomes 
apparent, just as the wolf will be easily recognized 
when in the sheepfold. Whether the one who wor- 
ships God in reverential ways, and according to 
good form, is more likely to become a formalist 
than the man who ignores even proper reverence 
and common decorum in the house of God, ought 
not to be difficult to decide. 



PRONOUNCING AND RECEIVING BENEDICTION. II 7 

On the other hand, too extreme a ritualistic wor- 
ship may be subject to the same dangers that sur- 
round too great laxness. Our plea is for proper 
reverence, proper decorum in the house of God. 
Nowhere do improprieties appear more abundant 
and more glaring than when the benediction is 
pronounced. It ought to be as inspiring a moment 
as any in the whole service. God's beneficent pres- 
ence should be keenly realized. We should not 
abide in that presence a moment without proper 
demeanor, nor should we depart therefrom in a 
thoughtless manner. It is a time of divine grace, 
love, and peace, all "too full for sound or foam." 
In the blessing and joy of that moment we should 
bow our heads and abide a little longer with the 
Lord. It is the final moment we spend in His house 
before we depart in peace. 



CHAPTER XII. 

WHERE AND WHEN PROPER TO MAKE USE OF 
BENEDICTIONS. 

Benedictions have been pronounced at meet- 
ings of every description, and under nearly all cir- 
cumstances. Perhaps it will continue to be so till 
the end of time. There doubtless will always be 
some who think there is a sort of virtue and grand- 
eur in overriding all customs and rules of propriety. 
"Christianity," say they, "must be up to date, 
must throw off narrow ways, and must partake of 
the broad, liberal views and practices of the times." 
There is no consecrated vessels of sacred worship, 
no holy acts of ministerial service, no choice pearls 
of sacred truth which such ones do not cast right 
and left without reserve, little heeding whether 
they fall among swine or not. That sort of thing 
takes with a certain class for awhile. But people 
soon tire of a minister whose predominant charac- 
teristic is his swagger. We are thankful there are 
few siich. As compared with the whole body of 

ministers in all denominations there are but few 
(ii8) 



WHERE AND WHEN PROPER. II9 

who treat the holy things of their office with irrev- 
erence. Most ministers seek to magnify their office, 
seek and strive to render to the Ivord the best 
service, and in ways which are becoming to the 
house of God. The general tendency is towards 
better and more appropriate ways in worship. That 
we so often fail of the best ways is because, in our 
busy life, we have not taken time to duly study all 
subjects which belong to our work. 

The benediction seems such a little and insig- 
nificant part of divine service that few guess its im- 
portance. Hence, it has received slight attention 
at the hand of writers upon Biblical subjects and 
questions of worship. There has been such wide 
misconception as to the true character of the act, 
and such an underrating of its sanctity, that bene- 
dictions have been frequently pronounced under 
what are, to say the least, very questionable circum- 
stances. When we examine the subject many ques- 
tions arise as to what are proper circumstances and 
conditions under which it may be employed. 

It differs in this respect from most parts of divine 
service. We may use different parts of such service 
on almost any occasion and anywhere ; not so the 
benediction. Reading of Scripture, prayer, sing- 



I20 THE BENEDICTION. 

ing, and exhortation may be engaged in among the 
impenitent, and in the very haunts of wickedness. 
But we do not offer the Communion under such 
circumstances, nor would it be in place to pro- 
nounce the benediction there, for hearts are not 
prepared for these. Those other parts of service 
just mentioned belong to the gospel proclamation 
in the general sense, and are for the world as well 
as the Church, but these belong to the specific 
offer which God makes to His own people, those 
of the household of faith. 

The blessing, as an official declaration, cannot in 
any truthfulness be said to be with the impenitent 
and hardened sinner. It is not because God is not 
willing and ready to bless men everywhere, but be- 
cause they have not faith, without which they can- 
not receive blessings. Such rest under the wrath 
of God because of sin, and where such is the case it 
would be folly for God's ministers to declare the 
contrary. If we cannot call that common and un- 
clean which God has cleansed, neither can we call 
that clean which God has not cleansed. 

This seeming to withhold from those beyond 
the Church some of the sacred parts of worship is 
not selfishness on the part of the Church and her 



■ WHERE AND WHEN PROPER. 121 

ministry. Whatever faults the Church may have 
been accused of, she is not selfish in her ministra- 
tions of the means of grace. Ministers are ever 
ready to go, when called upon, into the very 
haunts of sin, there to minister to the wants of 
some needy soul. But there are some things, even 
in the work of gracious ministrations, with which 
we ought not to play fast and loose. This is one 
of them. We win no souls by calling black white, 
or by calling evil good. But when the soul is 
won, then we bring most blessed help and comfort 
by declaring. that "The grace of the L,ord Jesus 
Christ, and the love of God, and the communion 
of the Holy Ghost," is with that soul. 

Just when and where it is proper to use the bene- 
diction is not always easily determined. The cir- 
cumstances under which ministers are asked to 
pronounce it are too numerous to mention. In 
some of the situations it seems quite inappropriate. 
Only in a general way can one attempt to point 
out under what conditions it may be fittingly 
given. This general rule may be applied, and will 
determine most cases, if not all. The benediction 
presupposes worship, or some act of a sacred or 
religious character. A gathering must be of such 



122 THE BENEDICTION. 

a character, and some thought must be given to 
these sacred things, and some act must indicate 
participation in these things to prepare for and 
call it forth. Then only by right does it, like the 
Holy Communion, belong to believers. 

It is always proper in divine worship, in the 
administration of the sacraments, baptism, and the 
Holy Communion. It is proper at the marriage of 
believers. Upon the same condition it is proper at 
burial services, and in any other case where the 
rule applies. There may be funerals where one 
could hardly with propriety use the benediction 
at the grave. There was wisdom in closing the 
burial service in the " Ministerial Acts " with Heb. 
xiii. 20, 21 — " Now the God of peace, that brought 
again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the 
great Shepherd of the sheep, through the everlast- 
ing covenant, make you perfect in every good 
work to do His will, working in you that which 
is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ ; 
to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." 
This is not a benediction, though some books of 
forms so designate it. It is an invocation, closing 
with an ascription of glory to Christ. No more 
suitable passage could have been selected for the 



WHKRK AND WHEN PROPER. 1 23 

purpose. But when officiating at funerals among 
our Christian families, a benediction may suitably 
follow even this grand passage. Any gathering 
of the Lord's people, where some thought has 
been given to things which pertain to the king- 
dom of Christ and religious life, glvQ full per- 
mission to consummate these sacred things witk 
the benediction. 



CHAPTER XIIL 

MISTAKES CORRECTED. 

There seem to us to be great misconceptions 
as to this part of divine service, and quite a num- 
ber of improprieties and mistakes consequently 
exist. While the discussion, thus far, has made 
some of these evident, it seems proper to refer to 
them again, and in the same connection point 
out others. This is done, not in a censorious 
spirit, but with the kind desire of helping to 
attain the best things. We trust it may seem to 
no one an unkind act. The surgeon uses the 
knife with the kindest intentions ; we are sure a 
few plainly spoken corrections will be far from 
as keen an operation. 

Frankness compels one to admit that many 
Protestant Churches have been very careless in 
forms and modes of worship. The benediction 
has come in for its full share of carelessness and 
misconception. But it is too important a matter 
for us to continue to make unwarranted errors 

(124) 



MISTAKES CORRECTED. 1 25 

therein. Because of the improprieties in use in 
this connection very many of our members have 
not the least conception of the nature and mean- 
ing of the act. Certain it is, many ministers might 
improve in the forms used, and the manner of 
using them. The writer confesses that for many 
years he was both ignorant and errant, and deeply 
deplores that when he entered the ministry there 
was not placed in his hands such a work as this. 

Not a Dismissae. — One mistaken conception 
of the benediction is the idea that it is simply a 
dismissal. In the estimation of many it is but the 
formal way the minister has of telling the people 
that he is through, and they may now go home. 
Every minister has been asked to dismiss the con- 
gregation with the benedictio7i. We are asked to 
dismiss in this way social functions, secular pic- 
nics, educational and farmers' institutes, even some- 
times political gatherings, and many other meet- 
ings, as well as those of a religious character. It is 
not a dismissal in fact, but a blessing of the people 
in the name of the Lord. The benediction is 
often used in other parts of the service as well as 
at the close. Thus we bless those who have com- 
muned. 



126 THE BENEDICTION. 

It is not simply a form by which we close the 
service, something which it is admissible we per- 
form in a perfunctory manner, but it is the climax 
in the most exalted thing a man ever does, namely, 
the worship of Almighty God. The whole wor- 
ship, or some part of it, culminates in God's re- 
sponse, by the mouth of His chosen minister, to the 
prayers, praises, and thanksgiving of His people. 
This is quite different from any mere dismissal, 
quite different from thanking an audience for listen- 
ing attentively to a speech or concert. We bless the 
worshipers in the name of the Lord, afterward 
they depart in peace. 

Want of Reverence. — The phrase "want of 
reverence" is used because there may be no intended 
act of irreverence. Reverential demeanor becomes 
one while in God's house, and especially while 
engaged in worship. A flippant, careless repetition 
of the glorious words of the benediction, as if they 
have no particular significance, is a sad mistake. 
The writer once heard the remark, " The tumul- 
tuous way in which congregations break up is 
largely due to the manner in which the benedic- 
tion is pronounced." Very sacred is the trust 
which God has committed to our keeping, in that 



MISTAKES CORRECTED. 1 2/ 

He has appointed us to bear His holy name before 
the people, and to put it upon those who believe. 
When we bless the people we should feel as Moses 
must have felt when he came down from the 
mount from communing with God. It is a mo- 
ment as precious, as sacred. There should be no 
want of reverence. Let him who ministers realize 
it. Let the people pause. It is not the minister 
who is blessing ; he speaks the words only. In, 
with, and by his voice the still small voice of God 
is speaking to the heart. Surely the Lord is in 
this place. With reverence give, and with rever- 
ence receive. His word. " In His presence is full- 
ness of joy." 

Incorrect Forms. — Another mistake, a very 
common and yet serious one, is that of incorrect- 
ness in the wording of the benediction. It appears 
to be against such mistakes that the Lord warned 
Aaron and his sons when He said concerning the 
words of blessing which He put in their mouth, 
^' On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, 
saying unto them " thus and so. We ought not to 
think that the coming in of the law of grace has 
in any way lowered the standard of excellence in 
holy ministrations. Any change in either bene- 



128. THE BENEDICTION. 

diction will impair its high excellence. Surely no 
one would deliberately presume to change either. 

We find, however, many deviations from the 
words of the text, often at the sacrifice not only of 
the form, but of the very purpose and intent of the 
act. See how true that is of the following, which 
is frequently heard : " And now may the grace of 
God the Son, and the love of God the Father, and 
the communion and fellowship of God the Holy 
Ghost be and abide with you now and forevermore. 
Amen." There is no such benediction in the 
book. In fact, it is not a benediction at all, it is 
a prayer. The sentence has been taken from its 
proper mode, and expresses subjectively the desire 
of the one speaking. There is a vast difference 
between praying that the Lord's blessing may 
descend and abide upon the congregation, and the 
pronouncement of the fact that that blessing has 
come upon the congregation and belongs to the 
believers present, and that God wills that they be 
blessed. The real purpose of the benediction is 
entirely lost sight of in the change of form. Be- 
sides, the general wording is objectionable in that 
it is tautological. Another objection to it is that it 
attempts to impress the doctrine of the Trinity by 



MISTAKES CORRECTED. 1 29 

overstating the Scripture. We gain nothing by 
overstatement. The doctrine of the Trinity does 
not need any such exaggeration of the Scripture to 
support it. 

The following form, also often used, is equally 
objectionable : " And now may the blessing of the 
Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, be with 
you all evermore." We search the Scriptures in 
vain for a warrant for such a form of blessing. It 
expresses God's name in unwarranted terms, but does 
not express fully His mercy and grace. Such terms 
are doubtless proper in formulating dogmatical 
statements, but are exceedingly improper in acts of 
worship. They are pretended quotations of God's 
word, but they are not His word, and in that sense 
are quite untrue. Certainly, no one would pur- 
posely falsify in quoting the holy words of God, 
but such a grave departure from the true text is 
false and misleading. Another very common, but 
incorrect, wording of the benediction is, '* Grace, 
mercy, and peace from Father, Son, and Holy 
Spirit, be with you all." This is, perhaps, least ob- 
jectionable of all erroneous forms. All sorts of 
changes are rung upon it. Inasmuch as it has 
been shown elsewhere that it is not a true Script- 
9 



130 THE BENEDICTION. 

lire quotation, its erroneous character needs no other 
demonstration. 

Upon our table are two books of forms for vari- 
ous services. These books are designed to aid pas- 
tors in the discharge of certain public official duties. 
The writer was a pastor some years before either 
was published, so they are not selected from the 
■distant past. One gives a list under the title, Bene- 
dictions. Some of these are salutations ; also the 
Aaronic and apostolic benedictions are given ; but 
let us quote one or two others from the list. " The 
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, en- 
abling you to receive the truth in the love of it, to 
do the will of God from the heart, and keeping you 
unto His kingdom and glor}'. Amen." How 
strange that anyone should offer this as a substi- 
tute for the exceedingly fine benedictions in God's 
word. It shows a complete misapprehension of the 
nature and purpose of the benediction. Bad as it 
is, this is worse : " Grace be with us all, enabling 
us by faith to receive the great salvation, and ever 
pray and labor for its diffusion till it is made known 
to the ends of the earth." This remarkable effu- 
sion needs no comments. The other book quotes 
the Pauline benediction correctly, except the last 



MISTAKES CORRECTED. 131 

clause, which is made to read, " be with us all ever- 
more. Amen^ How can the minister be at one 
and the same time the agent through whom a bless- 
ing is conferred and the object upon whom the bless- 
ing is bestowed? This mistake of defining the 
recipients designated in the benediction as being 
in the first person instead of the second is not un- 
common. It is a mistake which defeats the pur- 
pose for which the Ivord commanded His ministers 
to bless in His name. 

We hold the word of God as the inspired and 
only rule in religious faith and practice. The I^ord 
generously grants us, who minister before Him, the 
privilege of expounding that word and ministering 
to the needs of the souls of men in our own lan- 
guage, as long as we are faithful to His revealed 
truth ; but He does not give us the right of chang- 
ing and bungling His express words and messages 
to men. In the benediction we are not expounding 
the word, but are repeating the Lord's message of 
blessing word for word. We must make a dis- 
tinction between the sermon and the text ; the ser- 
mon is our own word, the text is the Lord's. We 
may change our words, and even preach different 
sermons from the same text, but the text changes 



132 THE BENEDICTION. 

not ; it is God's word. When God says to His 
ministering servants, " Go, say to my people " thus 
and so, it certainly will take large presumption on 
our part to change the message in the slightest 
way. Why should we take liberties with the 
Lord's word which the sheriff would not take with 
an edict of the judges in our civil courts ? Did 
not the L/ord say, " What thing soever I command 
you, observe to do it ; thou shalt not add thereto, 
nor diminish from it " ? (Dent. xii. 32). We cannot 
believe that the Lord has receded from this posi- 
tion. So when He says, " On this wise ye shall 
bless, saying," we certainly ought not to change 
His words into some fanciful message or prayer of 
our own. Surely the offense is more largely due to 
a want of consideration than to deliberate design. 

It is not necessary to quote any other mistakes 
along this line, though their name is legion. 
Rather let us again look at the grand but simple 
language of the benedictions. There is nothing in 
all the language which is more comprehensive and 
full of meaning, yet so plain and childlike : 
" The Lord bless thee, and keep thee : 
" The Lord make His face shine upon thee, and 
be gracious unto thee : 



MISTAKES CORRECTED. 1 33 

" The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, 
and give thee peace." 

"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the 
love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, 
be with you all." 

MizPAH Dismissal. — Another mistake which is 
sometimes made is the ascribing to the Mizpah dis- 
missal of our Young People's Societies the name and 
dignity of a benediction. We have heard it called 
"The Mizpah benediction," "The C. E. benedic- 
tion," and " Our own C. E. benediction." It is not a 
benediction, as it lacks the essentials of one, both as 
to source and contents. The organizers of the Chris- 
tian Endeavor Society did not incorporate it into the 
service of the society as a benediction, but rather for 
the very reason that it is not one. The unordained 
are not authorized to pronounce an unofficial bless- 
ing, so this passage, which is simply a salutation 
expressing the desire and prayer for God's watchful 
care during separation, was chosen as an appropri- 
ate closing. It is appropriate for the purpose. 
What is here said is not against the act itself, but 
to correct the wrong impression that it is a benedic- 
tion. This thought applies to all such cases. The 



134 THE BENEDICTION. 

Woman's Home and Foreign Missionary Society 
has made the same mistake with respect to its clos- 
ing service. To use a benediction in such a con- 
nection and way would be very much out of place ; 
to call any other Scripture so used, however appro- 
priate, a benediction is a mistake. It is a dismissal, 
possibly a salutation. There is no authority con- 
nected with its use. 

Unauthorized Use. — Frequently young men 
who are preparing for the ministry are called upon 
to hold services before they have advanced suffi- 
ciently to receive ordination, or even licensure. 
Unless their minds have been directed to this sub- 
ject there is a possibility of making the mistake of 
assuming to act in an official capacity. The mis- 
take is sometimes made. It certainly places the 
young man, whose experience in such matters is 
necessarily limited, in a difficult situation. It is 
not an easy matter to supply a suitable form in such 
a case, especially as the congregation may not un- 
derstand why the services are not closed in the 
usual way. In that case the congregation ought to 
be told frankly of the difficulty, and be asked to 
repeat with the leader some suitable psalm, or, 
better still, the lyord's Prayer. If they are made to 



MISTAKES CORRECTED. 1 35 

understand the situation they will appreciate the 
young man's intelligence, and perhaps learn a good 
truth besides ; but if they are not told, they may 
ascribe his unusual way of closing services to his 
ignorance, and they themselves remain in igno- 
rance. For all such cases, where no minister is 
present, there is nothing as suitable and good as 
the Lord's Prayer. No one will mistake it for a 
benediction. 

Mr. D. Iv. Moody once defined the difference be- 
tween himself and an ordained minister as consist- 
ing in the fact that he had no right to pronounce 
the benediction over the people. That was so far 
correct. He was a careful student of the word, 
and he realized that it debarred him from perform- 
ing official ministerial acts. But some lesser lights 
in the so-called evangelistic field, who tried to imi- 
tate Moody, did not know that he, under no circum- 
stances, presumed to bless the people, neither did 
they understand the Scriptures as well, and so as- 
sumed to themselves unwarranted privileges. 

Ministers of the gospel were always present in 
Mr. Moody's meetings, so the situation presented 
no difficulty. But a young man, yet unordained, 
working in some mission field, or supplying some 



136 THE BENEDICTION. 

vacant pulpit, does not find himself so favorably 
situated. While he may find the situation embar- 
rassing, yet let him, with all reverence for the holy 
office, bide the time when he, too, with propriety 
may lift up his hand towards the people and bless 
them in the name of the I^ord. 

The Use of the Salutation. — The position 
has been taken that the briefer salutations of the 
epistles ought not to be used as benedictions. We 
think this position is taken on good and sufiicient 
grounds. They are very frequently used in this way, 
however. The comprehensive character of the two 
benedictions does away with the necessity of their 
use. The salutation has its proper place. Thus, 
in the Common Service we have the salutation, 
" The Lord be with you," but it is not introduced 
as a benediction. There have been times in the 
history of the Church, at least in some quarters, 
when a different benediction was prescribed for 
nearly every special service. There was one for 
blessing church buildings, another for sacred uten- 
sils, and a different one for every different kind of 
service. Some were simple salutations, some were 
the salutations elaborated, some were the apostolic 
benediction elaborated after the fashion already 



MISTAKES CORRECTED. 1 37 

quoted under " Incorrect Forms." What would an 
intelligent congregation think to hear a minister 
bless them in this way ? — " May God, our Father, 
protect and prosper us. May Jesus Christ teach 
and guide, comfort and encourage us. May the 
spirit of the I^ord ennoble us. Amen." Yet this 
benediction is taken from a liturgy. There has al- 
ways, it seems, been the tendency to change the 
benedictions. The greater the rationalistic ten- 
dency of the times, the more pronounced have been 
the departure from the true Biblical forms. We 
may look for some such developments from the de- 
structive criticism of the present time. 

The disposition in some quarters seems to be to 
curtail. There is impatience at giving so much 
time to the act, hence the briefer and even briefest 
salutations are used. This seems reprehensible. It 
certainly must be apparent to all who investigate 
the question that the only blessing which has a 
positive command back of it is the Aaronic, and of 
all the epistolary salutations only one meets the 
purpose of this blessing in scope and form. These 
two alone answer the purpose for which the bene- 
diction was instituted in Num. vi. 22-27. They 
alone are incapable of improvement, are the best 



138 THE BENEDICTION. 

and only comprehensive ones in the Bible. It cer- 
tainly is a mistake to use something as a benedic- 
tion which is less complete, something which does 
not express fully God's holy name, nor define the 
greatness of His kindnesses and mercy. 

Now, the question naturally arises, " If the briefer 
salutations are not official benedictions, may not 
unordained evangelists and other laymen use them 
in lieu of the benediction ? " Hardly, at least not 
as a benediction or in place of one. Any Christian 
might salute his brother ; any Christian might 
write a letter to a brother Christian and very 
properly say to him, " The grace of the Lord 
Jesus Christ be with you." But to do that in 
public worship, in imitation of the ofiicial act, and 
to supply the place of it, would be manifestly out 
of place. Such an act would result in confusion, 
as most persons would not be able to distinguish 
between the proper official blessing and this un- 
official imitation of it. We will do well to keep 
our worship free from every sort of imitation of the 
genuine and essential acts of worship. There can 
be no reason for using the salutations in such a 
place in public worship except as benedictions, and 
to this the layman ought not to presume. 



MISTAKES CORRECTED. 1 39 

We are fully convinced that only the Aaronic 
and apostolic benedictions may be properly used in 
this act of worship, and then only by those who 
are authorized by ordination to the office of the 
ministry. Should any brother minister think that 
the conclusion arrived at is too extreme and nar- 
row, that it places unwarranted limitations upon 
his liberty in the exercise of his ministerial func- 
tions, let him give the matter this practical test. 
Let him for one year bless his congregation in the 
name of the Lord with the reverence and care 
herein advocated, then let him go into some serv- 
ice, a solemn spiritual service even, and at its close 
hear some minister indifferently say, " The grace 
of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all," and if he 
does not go from the house of God feeling that for 
some reason the service was incomplete, that some- 
how it has failed of attaining its full purpose, then 
he ma}^ use the salutation ever after. The writer 
recently had just such an experience. Our brother 
will go back to his own pulpit on the next Lord's Day 
and bless his people " on this wise " with more rev- 
erence and care than ever before. In other words, 
the Aaronic and Pauline benedictions carry with 
their proper pronouncement a helpfulness and good 



140 THE BENEDICTION. 

which is found in no brief salutation nor in any 
other Scripture used in their stead. The best 
argument for their use is, after all, their constant 
and proper use. The best argument against the 
use of the salutation as a benediction is, that after 
one has tasted of the Lord's full blessing as pro- 
nounced in the true benedictions, the salutation 
ever after causes an unpleasant sense of their un- 
fitness for this exalted ministerial act. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

r:e:sume. 

It may not seem necessary in so small a work as 
this to recapitulate what has been set forth. How- 
ever, we deem it wise, for the purpose of both 
stating the truths discussed with more clearness, 
and fastening them more firmly in the mind, to 
append this brief resume : 

1. The act of pronouncing a blessing upon God's 
people has the clearest authority. It rests upon 
the most positive command, and is confirmed by 
the practice of our Lord. While there is no direct 
command to use the apostolic benediction, yet it 
so fully meets the purpose of the blessing which 
the Lord made known to Moses that we accord it 
a place on an equality with the Aaronic bene- 
diction. 

2. The act of pronouncing the benediction is 
purely an official function, one of the things for 
which the priest or minister is set apart from other 
believers. It belongs alone and exclusively fo the 

(141) 



142 THE BENEDICTION. 

office of divine ministration. The official authority 
of the ministers of Christ is in this the same as 
the priests under the law. It is their special pre- 
rogative to minister in the holy things of God, and 
to bless in His name. 

3. It is not optional on the part of the minister 
whether he bless or not. It is the Lord's command 
that he shall bless, and it is the privilege of the 
people to claim that blessing, if by repentance and 
faith they have placed themselves in the way of it. 
It cannot be withh olden from them, because it is 
their right. As the Lord has appointed His min- 
ister to bless in His name, equally has He ap- 
pointed that His people shall be blessed. 

4. The benediction is an important part of the 
service of God's house, far more so than is generally 
supposed. Its significance is greater than its brevity 
would seem to indicate. It is not a mere form 
which has been prepared for a suitable closing to 
the worship, but it is the consummation of divine 
blessings which flow from that worship. It is the 
naming of His name upon the people, and a con- 
ferring of the blessings which accompany that 
name. 

5. It is not a prayer either in form or design. 



RESUME. 143 

It neither expresses petition to God nor indicates 
any other manner by which we approach Him.. 
But it is God's message to us by His chosen serv- 
ants. In the act the attitude of prayer is not the 
proper one ; but we who officiate, with open eyes 
and outstretched hand, pronounce it as the ambas- 
sadors of God, declaring His word to men. We 
are not praying for a blessing, but are the instru- 
ments iji conveying it. 

6. The benediction presupposes some act of wor- 
ship or sacred service. Hence it belongs alone to 
believers. A prayer for blessing may be made on 
behalf of all men ; but a declaration or pronounce- 
ment of the lyord's blessing can only be for those to 
whom it belongs by virtue of their faith in the 
promise. There is no blessing in it for those who 
believe not. The blessing is not arbitrarily im- 
posed, though it is a gracious gift. 

7. The act is wholly out of place in a secular 
meeting. The subject-matter under consideration 
may be moral, educational, and beneficial, but that 
does not make it a suitable occasion for the bene- 
diction. The presupposed conditions are not pres- 
ent. It is the crowning act in worship, the I^ord's 
response to those who have drawn nigh unto Him. 



144 'I'HE BENEDICTION. 

Therefore, the act is not in place under the con- 
ditions which obtain in a purely secular meeting. 

8. It is a means of grace to all who believe. Not 
only in that sense in which all Scripture is a means 
of grace,, but also in that it is a special declaration 
of the present active operation of that grace. The 
act is intended to be a conveyance of grace and 
salvation to those who have faith, for it is the 
placing of that name upon God's children, through 
which name men are saved. " For there is none 
other name under heaven, given among men, 
whereby we must be saved." So it becomes an 
actual bestowal of blessing. 

9. Care should be used in the way we bless, both 
as to the words used and the manner of using them. 
We are communicating God's word and message, 
not our own. We are performing one of the most 
responsible and sacred duties of the ministerial 
office. We should handle that word with rever- 
ence, and we should have no doubt of its efficacy 
and power. We are bearing His name unto men, 
and must have respect to His promise that He will 
bless. 

10. Care should also be taken that we may not 
confuse some other passage of the word, however 



RESUME. 145 

precious, with those which are truly authorized 
benedictions. Neither is the Mizpah parting nor a 
mere salutation to be given the title and dignity 
which belong to the blessing. Lacking in some 
one or more particulars when compared with the 
standard which the Lord has established, we should 
do more than hesitate to use the salutations as bene- 
' dictions. We should not use them as benedictions, 
nor call them such. 

II. The Amen is intended as a response on the 
part of the congregation. That evidently was the 
practice in apostolic times. It is a most appropri- 
ate practice. It is the assent of God's people to 
His blessing ; a very solemn acceptance of His 
name and salvation. When any part is as clearly 
authorized as the Amen response to the benedic- 
tion, it seems unwise not to introduce it more gen- 
erally in our churches. 



CHAPTER XV. 

CONCLUSION. 

There are some common features wnich enter 
into the worship of all evangelical Christian 
churches, whether they be liturgical or non-litur- 
gical. They are such things as the Lord's Prayer, 
the words of Christ in dispensing the bread and 
wine, the formula of baptism, and the benediction. 
These are commonly accepted and used among 
all believers. They enter to a greater or less ex- 
tent into the worship of all denominations. Here 
the sacramental hosts of God occupy common 
ground. These, with the common word which we 
preach, and the one Spirit of whom we have all re- 
ceived, indicate the oneness, the spiritual unity of 
.all believers. 

While men will, doubtless, have many and varied 
conceptions of the word of God, and will hold dif- 
ferent views of pra3''er, the Lord's supper, baptism, 
and the benediction, yet through all these diversi- 
ties shines the one clear light that it is the Lord's 

(146) 



CONCLUSION. 147 

Prayer which we all use ; that in the I^ord's own 
words are dispensed the bread and the wine ; that 
with His own formula proper subjects are baptized 
and received into the Church, and with His own 
blessing do His ministers bless His people. Only 
when rationalism has entered the Church and with 
blighting effect has breathed its soulless spirit into 
her worship have these, the universal and precious 
possessions of all Christian worshipers, been radi- 
cally changed or widely departed from. They are, 
in a sense, the pulse of the spiritual life of the 
Church. Only when the Church for a season be- 
came unevangelical, when her life became a mere 
moral cultus, and her, worship deformed, has she 
ever permitted the substitution of platitudes for 
these divinely-given and vital parts of worship. 
Wherever and whenever radical tendencies lay hold 
upon the ministry, and an attempt is made to set 
aside evangelical spiritual truth, and to run the 
Church on purely a moral and humanitarian basis, 
then men begin to amend the Lord's Prayer, per- 
vert Christ's words of consecration, seek new and 
original formula for baptism, and substitute no very 
exalted words of their own for the majestic words 
of God's benedictions. This fact is seen in the 



140 THE BENEDICTION. 

liturgical deterioration of the seventeenth and 
eighteenth centuries. (See Mem. Lit. Asso., vol. iv., 
pages 'J2)-77') Whatever may be said against a 
hyper-ritualistic worship, it is deserving of credit in 
this, that it deals more kindly with the Lord's own 
standards than do rationalism and radicalism. The 
pre-Reformation Church passed through the times 
of degradation and formalism with less violence to 
these parts of worship than during the later radical 
and rationalistic periods. This fact was no small 
factor to the success of the Reformation. The dis- 
crepancies in the benedictions now in vogue from 
the true Biblical forms are relics of the rationalistic 
recension of those forms. Coming, as they do, from 
such a source, the ministry and the Church may 
well look with grave disfavor upon all such un- 
scriptural forms of blessing. Especially should we, 
who "receive and hold . . . the word of God as 
contained in the Canonical Scriptures of the Old 
and New Testaments as the only infallible rule of 
faith and practice," be particular in this matter. 
The radical tendencies of the day will soon bring 
their harvest of apocryphal rites and forms ; in fact, 
are already beginning to bring them. So we, who 
hold the evangelical truth of our fathers, should be 



CONCLUSION. 149 

exceedingly particular to do all things which the 
Lord has exemplified by His own word in the way 
He has indicated, " neither adding thereto nor tak- 
ing from it." 

Doubtless there will always be divers forms of 
worship among Christian people. These forms are 
susceptible of great variety, yet may be scriptural 
and give appropriate expression to the act of wor- 
ship. The development of liturgical services will 
in the future, as in the past, be determined by the 
doctrinal position, spiritual life, and poetical or art 
conception of the denomination. This is because 
only the nucleus of a form of worship is given us in 
the New Testament. Since no full forms are there 
found, liberty must be permitted in details of the 
development, and variety must be expected. But 
when we make use of such parts as the Lord's 
Prayer, the formula of baptism, and the benediction, 
the idea of developing or changing them should be 
set aside. They rest upon an entirely different 
basis from the general liturgical forms which are 
made to cluster around them. The Lord's Prayer, 
the words attending the dispensing of the supper, 
and the formula of baptism have been brought in 
here only to show that the benediction does not 



150 THE BENEDICTION. 

stand alone in this respect, and to remind the 
reader that in these things, whatever be our forms 
of worship, all evangelical Christians occupy com- 
mon ground. The details of worship may and do 
change to meet the spiritual wants of God's people, 
but what God declares to us in explicit terms, used 
in that worship, ought not to be changed by us. 
Much in worship is our offering, our spiritual sacri- 
fice to our Father, and will ever be expressed 
among different peoples in different ways, but there 
is that in the worship which God brings to us, and 
it is characterized by fullness of grace and perma- 
nence of form. Perhaps, as long as the world 
stands, men will differ in forms of worship, but 
God will never change in the riches of His grace 
toward men, nor in the perfect forms which He has 
given for the bestowal of the blessing of that grace. 
Our faith concerning the Church is that, what- 
ever of human differences are not according to di- 
vine wisdom, in God's own good time will be elimi- 
nated from the faith and worship of the Church ; 
that His promise to His Church that it shall be 
altogether perfect and complete will be specifically 
fulfilled, for it is said, '' Christ loved the Church, 
and gave Himself for it : that He might sanctify 



CONCLUSION. 151 

and cleanse it with the washing of water by the 
word, that He might present it to Himself a glori- 
ous Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such 
thing ; but that it should be holy and without 
blemish." When the glorious end here contem- 
plated is consummated, when the Church of Christ 
will be adorned as a Bride ready for the Bridegroom, 
when all human misconception and error will have 
been purged out, then, as now, the Lord's words of 
prayer will still be offered. His words of sacramental 
import will still be employed, and His words of 
benediction will still fall, with the blessing of His 
name and grace, upon His faithful ones. 

The Lord bless thee^ and keep thee : 

The Lord 7nake LLis face shine upon thee^ and be 
gracious unto thee : 

The Lord lift tp LLis countenance upon thee^ and 
give thee peace. 

The grace of the Lord fesus Christy and the love 
of God^ and the communion of the LLoly Ghost^ be with 
you all. 

Let all the people say, ^ 

'-'-Amen?^ 



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